Jennifer Mendoza
Research expert covering health, pharma and medtech
COPD worldwide - Statistics & Facts
In 2021, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for around 3.52 million deaths. That year, only ischemic heart disease, COVID-19, and stroke caused more deaths than COPD. COPD is used to describe lung diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and severe asthma that cause obstructed airflow in the lungs and result in breathing problems. Symptoms include increased shortness of breath, coughing, tightness in the chest, and wheezing. Smoking is the leading cause of COPD, however, air pollution and genetics can also increase the chances of developing the disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), smoking accounts for around 70 percent of all COPD cases in high-income countries, and 30-40 percent of cases in low-middle-income countries, where air pollution is a large risk factor.
