[The importance of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]

COPD mortality is a world-wide growing problem. COPD is the fifth leading cause of mortality among all diseases now and is projected to be the third one in 2020. In the USA died 119,000 inhabitants in 2001. The Czech republic mortality for COPD in the same year was: men 21.3/100,000 inhabitants, women 11.6/100,000; this represents total number of 1666 deaths for COPD. Prevalence of COPD is from 4.5% to 11% in developed countries of Europe and in the USA; prevalence in the Czech republic is 7.7%. Total economic cost of COPD reaches in the USA nearly the same value as cost of lung cancer. The cost is increasing with severity of the disease and with hospitalization, intensive care unit treatment especially. The average length of hospitalization for COPD is in the USA 6.9 days, in Italy 10.6 days, in the Czech republic 15.8 days. Increasing lost of life years by premature death and inability to work (Disability-Adjusted Life Year--DALY system) in developed countries moves COPD from current 12th positron to the 5th one. Quality of life of COPD patients is decreased mainly in domain of physical activity in subjects with respiratory insufficiency on home long term oxygen therapy.