Detailing COPD Prevalence in Low and Middle-Income Countries

With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) being cited as the third leading cause of mortality globally, the data surrounding the condition has naturally continued to broaden.In high-income countries, COPD is predominantly typically linked to cigarette exposure, tobacco smoke and poor sleep habits. However, people in low- and middle-income countries are often predisposed to a multitude of environmental factors that are not often considered outside of high-income settings. Trishul Siddharthan, MD, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care at the Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, speaks of environmental exposures associated with low- and middle-income countries as well as the lack of diagnostic resources for COPD in these settings.