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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease scheme launched
13 Aug 2008
A scheme which warns people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) about weather conditions which can have an effect on their health has been launched by the Met Office.
It is noted that more than 8,000 patients are currently signed up to the system, which will warn sufferers when a cold snap is due.
Cold weather can worsen symptoms of COPD by narrowing airways and increasing the likelihood of chest infections.
The scheme's launch follows comments from Dr Keith Prowse, chairman of the British Lung Foundation (BLF), who states that despite the fact that the number of smokers is dropping, it will take somewhere in the region of another 50 years to get it out of the system.
Continuing, he states that it is also important to bear in mind that COPD does not just affect older people and smokers.
"We are seeing drug users and people that are heavy smokers in their teens present with the disease much earlier than we've seen before," Dr Prowse adds.
Premature babies, as well as children who have had a lot of chest infections or problems with their lungs at an early age are also identified as individuals at risk of COPD.
COPD is the fifth biggest killer worldwide and is estimated to result in the deaths of more than 250 people around the globe every hour.
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