Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects 4 per cent of the Abu Dhabi population, according to a study by UAE University, Zayed Military Hospital and the Emirates Allergy and Respiratory Society (Ears).
Worldwide, the disease, caused mainly by smoking and characterised by severely restricted breathing as a result of lung damage and inflammation, affects between 2 and 9 per cent of the population, placing Abu Dhabi slightly below the average.
However, with smokers making up nearly a quarter of the adult population in the emirate, experts project that the prevalence of COPD could increase to 7 per cent in the next five years.
“There’s a good chance that people who are smoking now will develop the disease as they grow older,” said Dr Bassam Mahboub, head of the allergy and respiratory department at Dubai Hospital and vice chair of Ears. “This not only increases the risk of other diseases, but also increases mortality and is a burden and challenge for the health system, draining it to a maximum.”
According to the World Health Organization (Who), COPD contributes to 5 per cent of all deaths globally. Who predicts that the mortality rate from the disease could increase by more than 30 per cent in the next 10 years unless urgent action is taken to reduce the underlying risk factors, especially smoking.
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