How many people have emphysema?
The number of people with emphysema has gone from 2.3 million in 1982 to 3.1 million in 2002. Many people with emphysema also have chronic bronchitis, another lung condition largely caused by smoking. Heart disease, also commonly caused by smoking, is also often present. Emphysema generally occurs after the age of 45. Men tend to develop emphysema more frequently. However, it’s unclear if emphysema rates in women will rise since smoking is now more common among women. Together with other lung conditions that are largely caused by smoking, such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., claiming the lives of more than 120,000 Americans per year.
