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Age Healthier, Breathe Easier: Solutions You Can Use to Control or Reduce Environmental Triggers
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, claiming approximately 119,000 lives each yeari. COPD includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Asthma is a chronic lung disease which can be life threatening for older adults. More than 2.5 million Americans age 65 and older have asthma, and in 2002 more than 970,000 older adults suffered an asthma episodeii. The highest mortality rate for asthma occurs in the older population. Environmental hazards can pose a significant risk to older adults, especially those with COPD and/or asthma. The following charts “Age Healthier, Breathe Easier: Solutions You Can Use” provides a list of useful solutions and some websites which may help you or your loved one avoid or control environmental triggers for COPD and asthma. While there are other non-environmental triggers, these suggestions are limited to environmental triggers. For a free poster and short fact sheet on environmental triggers for COPD and asthma and older adults, please email aging.info@epa.gov or visit the EPA Aging Initiative website at http://www.epa.gov/aging/
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aging.info@epa.gov |
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