Its for patients who want to take action and
who are interested in advocacy, Dean E.
Schraufnagel, MD, editor of Breathing, says. It
gives patients ammunition to contact their
legislators and tell them that COPD is an
important problem. Thiis gives them fuel.
After a vote, we narrowed down the list to the top five winners.
In August of this year, congress passed The Budget Control Act of 2011 after being
unable to negotiate a deal to manage deficit
reductions while raising the debt ceiling.
The Budget Control Act effectively raised
the debt ceiling and established a Joint Select
Committee on Deficit Reduction, commonly
referred to as the Super Committee. The
Committee has equal representations of
Democrats and Republicans, with six
Representatives and six Senators.
Its as easy as starting a conversation
with friends, family or neighbors.
Identifying with others that have COPD
will help them become educated, and
empower them to take control of their
lives and their disease.
For years, COPD has been incorrectly
characterized as a disease of old people.
The truth is that of the 210 million people with
COPD worldwide, more than half are between
the ages of 40 and 65. As primary supporters
of their families and wage earners at critical
points in their careers, these individuals with
COPD face unique challenges.
Its important for individuals with COPD,
especially younger people, to be tested for
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (also referred
to as just Alpha-1). Not only could this test
affect you, but your family as well.
Patients with COPD have an increased
risk of developing diabetes, and the risk
appears to exist regardless of the severity of
COPD. For example, a large population study
published in 2008 found that people with
COPD had almost a double risk of being
diagnosed with diabetes. Similarly, almost half
of all COPD patients suffer from other medical
problems frequently linked to diabetes, such
as elevated blood pressure and higher levels
of cholesterol.
