Chronic Bronchitis
Though less well known than emphysema,
there are 14 million adult Americans that
suffer from chronic bronchitis, which is
the ninth-ranking chronic condition in our
nation. Like emphysema, many who suffer
from it are subject to periodic attacks of
obstructed breathing, when airways of the
lungs become inflamed and clogged with
mucus, often in response to environmental
irritants.
According to the most recent study by
the National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute, the prevalence of chronic
bronchitis increased in males and females
from 1982-1996 and is higher in females
than in males. For females, the rate
increased about 65 percent (36.3 vs. 59.8
per 1,000) between 1982 and 1996. For
males, the rates increased about 50
percent (31.4 vs. 47 per 1,000) over the
same period. The difference in the rates
was 4.9 per 1,000 in 1982, but increased
to 12.1 per 1,000 in 1996 indicating an
increase in the disparity by gender.
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