smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd). parallel epidemics of the 21st century吸烟与慢性阻塞性肺疾病(copd)。.pdf

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2009, 6, 209-224; doi:10.3390/ijerph6010209 OPEN ACCESS International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ISSN 1660-4601 /journal/ijerph Review Smoking and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). st Parallel Epidemics of the 21 Century Rafael Laniado-Laborín Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Baja Califonia, Mexico E-Mail: rafaellaniado@; Tel.: 011-52-(664) 686-5626 Received: 15 December 2008 / Accepted: 7 January 2009 / Published; 9 January 2009 th Abstract: One hundred million deaths were caused by tobacco in the 20 century, and it is estimated that there will be up to one billion deaths attributed to tobacco use in the 21st century. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is rapidly becoming a global public health crisis with smoking being recognized as its most important causative factor. The most effective available treatment for COPD is smoking cessation. There is mounting evidence that the rate of progression of COPD can be reduced when patients at risk of developing the disease stop smoking, while lifelong