When It’s Not Easy Breathing

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease--chronic airway obstruction that worsens gradually over time--is a series of illnesses that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Here are other facts about the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States:

* In 1996, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 106,027 Americans died because of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

* In 1995, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 14.5 million cases of bronchitis were reported.

* In the same year, 2 million cases of emphysema were reported.

* Also in 1995, 14.8 million cases of asthma were reported.

Sources: National Center for Health Statistics, Johns Hopkins Family Health Book (1999, HarperCollins)