[Epidemiology, clinical aspects and treatment of chronic obstructive lung diseases]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases represent the fifth most important cause of death in the USA and Canada. In Switzerland prevalency is equal. It is thus a common disease of special interest for the physician in daily practise. The main cause still remains the consumption of nicotine, although air pollution plays also a role. In this presentation clinical aspects and diagnostic possibilities available to the physician are described. Important progress has been made in acute as well as chronic treatment for this disease. It is important to offer these new possibilities to the patients since stabilization of their state as well as a relevant prolongation of survival is nowadays possible. Treatment for rehabilitation in outpatients and patients in the hospital is described in detail.