It's a matter of breath and death!

"COPD is a disease characterized by a progressive airflow limitations
caused  by an abnormal inflammatory reaction to the chronic inhalation
of  particles. (...) From a review of data from all over the world, it is
clear that  tobacco is not the only cause of COPD."
(
Chest, 117/2/Feb. 2000 Supplement)

"Although COPD is a
leading cause of illness and death, its recognition
as a public health problem has been slow to evolve despite the rising
mortality rate for COPD and the decline in death rates for most of the
cardiovascular diseases. For example, between 1966 and 1995, the
age-adjusted death rates for coronary heart disease and stroke
declined by 45% and 58%, respectively, whereas the
death rate for
COPD
increased by 71%!" (Chest, 117/2/Feb. 2000 Supplement)

"COPD is a major and increasing health problem, which is predicted
to become the third commonest cause of death and the fifth commonest
cause of disability in the world by 2020. While there have been major
advances in the understanding and management of asthma, COPD has
been relatively neglected and there are no current therapies that reduce
the inevitable progression of this disease. However, because of the
enormous burden of disease and escalating healthcare costs, there is
now renewed interest in the underlying cellular and molecular
mechanisms and a search for new therapies, resulting in re-evaluation
of the disease. Despite its enormous global importance, there has been
relatively little research into COPD and it is the most underfunded
disease in relation to the global burden of disease." (
N Engl J Med
1999;340:1881-1887)

"....data from....US study suggest that
10% of persons with COPD account
for  > 70% of all medical care costs
. International studies of trends in
COPD-related hospitalization indicate that (...)
admissions per 1,000
persons per year for COPD have increased in all age groups > 45
years of age
. These trends reflect population aging, smoking patterns,
institutional factors, and treatment practices." (
Chest, 2000; 112:5S-9S)

While the death rate for COPD continues to rise (nearly 125,000 in 2002),
the
funding for research Is meager each year. SEE LATEST STATISTICS.

The Global Obstructive Lung Disease Initiative, initiated by the National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the World Health Organization, aims
to raise awareness of the increasing burden of COPD, decrease
morbidity and mortality, promote further study of the condition, and
implement programs to prevent COPD. It is your responsibility as a
citizen and a patient - if you happen to be one - to demand that the
governments and legislative bodies worldwide launch a massive
campaign to find effective treatment and possibly cure for this
debilitating and deadly disease. You owe it to yourself and to the future
generations.

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DR. TOM PETTY, A GIANT IN PULMONARY MEDICINE AND THE BEST FRIEND THE COPD PATIENTS COULD HAVE PASSED AWAY ON DECEMBER 12, 2009. THE COPD
COMMUNITY IS MOURNING THIS LOSS AND JOINS HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN SORROW.

Read Everything Respiratory, Fall 2009, vol. 4, issue 2
here

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AMERICAN THORACIC SOCIETY HAS RATED
  COPD-ALERT AMONG THE BEST ON THE WEB
                      IN TWO CATEGORIES
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INFORMATION ABOUT OXYGEN EQUIPMENT
          LONG-TERM OXYGEN THERAPY (LTOT)

  PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS 2008 LTOT 
                               SURVEY
RESULTS
       

NEW CRITICAL COMPARISON OF
OXYGEN CONSERVERS!

   
LTOT BLOGGER -- GET QUESTIONS ANSWERED
                                 BY AN EXPERT

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Quackwatch
SM

   SHORTNESS OF BREATH -
Check it!
  GET CHECKED FOR ALPHA-1!
   WHAT IS COPD  ===>>  See Video!
  
   TAKE A BREATHING TEST    SEE VIDEO
  
FRONTLINE ADVICE FOR COPD
      PATIENTS
  
  
SYMPTOMATIC COPD: MAINTENANCE
  
COMMONLY USED INHALERS
  

  
NEW PROCEDURE FOR  EMPHYSEMA
     COPD CLINICAL TRIALS
  
  
LEARN PROPER BREATHING
    
TECHNIQUES from experts

  
COPD & EMPHYSEMA SELF-CARE

  
ANXIIETY & PANIC ATTACKS IN COPD
   DOWNLOAD THIS E-BOOK
HERE  

  
COPD-ALERT IN THE NEWS
     
  
COPD-ALERT  FACT SHEET
 
JOIN COPD-ALERT (NEW PIN!!!)
  
CALLS FOR ACTION
         
  
GET YOUR COPD LUNG PROFILER
   
AND TREATMENT OPTIONS

  
MANAGE YOUR COPD (NJ-DENVER)

  
NASAL IRRIGATION (MAYO VIDEO)
 
  
BOOKS FOR COPD PATIENTS

   COPD RESOURCES -
LINKS
  
INTERNATIONAL COPD PATIENT
    ORGANIZATIONS

  
MEDICAL LIBRARY RESOURCES

  
WATCH YOUR MEDICINES!

  
TOBACCO AWARENESS VIDEO
HOW SMOKING AFFECTS YOUR BODY

  
TRAVELING WITH OXYGEN
        
AT HOME AND ABROAD and
 
  
MOTORING WITH OXYGEN
         (a slide show)

  
DOT FINAL RULE ON AIR TRAVEL
  
WITH OXYGEN EFFECTIVE 5/13/09
       
  
AIR TRAVEL WITH DISABILITIES

  
LATEST PATIENT OXYGEN THERAPY
              
SURVEY RESULTS1!
          
(VALLEY INSPIRED PRODUCTS)
   
  COPD ART (
DOTTIE'S GALLERY)
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BELOW
MIKE McBRIDE RUNS MARATHONS
ON OXYGEN. SEE HIS RUN
AT THE BOSTON MARATHON
IN APRIL 2009. 
HERE
CHECK WebMD IF YOU MAY HAVE COPD!!!
Assess your risk for a heart attack
here
<><><><>
OZONE ALERT
<><><><>
WORLD COPD DAY
17 NOVEMBER 2010
BREATHLESS NOT HELPLESS
2010 THE YEAR OF THE LUNG
      
COPD-ALERT JOINS THE CAMPAIGN

HOME OXYGEN PATIENT PROTECTION ACT,
H.R. 2373
, INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS on May 12, 2009,
by Tom Price (R-GA) and Heath Shuler (D-NC) to remove
Medicare's 36-month oxygen reimbursement cap and, thus,
restore payment for home oxygen therapy through the
beneficiary's period of medical need. See
here.
Please ask your Congressman to support it.

MEDICARE GUIDANCE ON OXYGEN!!!
CMS guidance overview
here.
SERIOUS PROBLEMS FOR OXYGEN USERS NOTED
here.
Contact your congressman and senators!

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CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT 
H.R. 3790, WHICH WILL ELIMINATE COMPETITIVE BIDDING THAT WILL BE HARMFUL TO MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES WHO RECEIVE HOMECARE AND THE HOMECARE PROVIDERS WHO SERVE THEM.
TEXT OF THE BILL.
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ASK NOW!!! YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS TO SUPPORT THE MEDICARE RESPIRATORY THERAPY INITIATIVE, H.R. 1077 & S.343.
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE CLICK
HERE.
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