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COPD Research Paper

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Big Idea 1 (Unit 1)
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a long term respiratory disease. It is characterised by a slowly progressive irreversible airflow obstruction that is due to a loss of lung elasticity resulting from parenchymal destruction and peripheral airflow obstruction. It is estimated that 80 % to 90 % of all cases of COPD are caused by cigarette, but it can also be caused by genetic disorders. Identification of genetic markers that predict the rate of loss of lung function may help in disease prevention and improved management in the future (1).
Why
Approximately 1.5 million Canadians suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and an estimated 1.6 million remain undiagnosed. In the United States, COPS is the third leading cause of death (2). It is a disease of increasing public health importance around the world. It is one of the commonest causes of death and the only common cause of death which is increasing (3).
How …show more content…

Cigarette smoking is currently a causal factor in more than 90% of patients in westernised societies, so environmental factors are clearly very important in the disease (4). However, in Caucasians only 10–20% of chronic heavy cigarette smokers develop symptomatic COPD, suggesting that genetic factors are likely to be important in determining which cigarette smokers are at risk from developing airflow obstruction. Furthermore, some patients develop airflow obstruction at an earlier age, again suggesting that genetic factors may determine the progression of

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