Asthma and COPD : 3.6 million deaths in 2015

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Published the 17.08.2017 at 11h51

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pneumologieasthmeBPCO

A large study published in the medical journal the Lancet Respiratory Medicine stresses the impact of the two respiratory diseases are the most common, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In 2015, according to figures gathered by the international group of researchers, the two pathologies together have made 3.6 million deaths around the world. It is three times more than Aids.

In detail, the asthma has resulted in 400,000 deaths. The mortality related to this respiratory disease, the most common in the world, is down 25 % since the 1990s (550 000 deaths per year at the time). But the number of cases is on the rise.

Asthma is more frequent in the world population. In 1990, it was a little more than 318 million people. By 2015, this figure has exceeded 358 million, an increase of 13 %.

COPD overlooked

But it is on the side of the COPD that the figures are more alarming. In the same period of time, the number of deaths due to chronic bronchitis has increased by 12 %, and the number of cases of 44 %. If it remains about two times less frequent than asthma (175 million cases), it kills more than eight times.

Air Pollution, particulate matter, active and passive smoking, indoor pollution, ozone… The risk factors are numerous but are mostly controllable. Yet, very little communication is done around the respiratory disease, for the prevention and treatment.