The lung ailment is a leading killer in the United States
February 27, 2015
The disease that killed Leonard Nimoy, the actor best known for his role as Mr. Spock on , was chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), a progressive illness often linked to smoking. He died at his home on February 27 at the age of 83. He was one of the roughly fifteen million Americans diagnosed with the disorder.But just what is COPD? That umbrella term refers to a group of diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing-difficulties, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In the United States COPD most often stems from exposure to tobacco smoke. (Last year Nimoy tweeted to fans that he three decades ago.) Genetic factors, respiratory infections and air pollutant exposures, however, can also play a role. It’s a leading cause of death in the U.S., with symptoms including shortness of breathing, wheezing, chronic coughing or excess production of mucus in the airway. The disease is typically diagnosed with a simple breathing test to assess how much air a person can inhale and exhale called spirometry. And while medications can help patients improve their breathing by dilating their air passages, it has no cure.It’s also a massive global problem. In 2012, six percent of all deaths around the world were attributed to COPD – equivalent to more than 3 million deaths. More than 90 percent of those deaths occurred in low or middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. In settings where families may cook over traditional cookstoves that rely on solid fuels to cook (like burning feces), such harmful exposure and subsequent poor air quality is a significant contributor to COPD. And globally, COPD now develops among men and women in equal numbers.President Obama, who once greeted Nimoy with the signature Vulcan salute, wrote in a press statement on Nimoy’s death, “I loved Spock.” Many people around the world could say the same.
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