A Common Disease Many People Have Never Heard Of (1/2)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or C.O.P.D., affects more than two hundred million people around the world. The World Health Organization says at least five million people died from it in two thousand five. Ninety percent were in developing countries.

In the United States, C.O.P.D. is the fourth leading cause of death. But even with these numbers, many people have never heard of it. The Canadian Lung Association Web site explains that C.O.P.D. is the new name for emphysema and chronicbronchitis. These are the two most common forms of it, and many people with C.O.P.D. have both of them.

The result is progressive and incurable lung damage. The tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs become partly blocked. This makes it difficult to breathe and often produces a cough that will not go away.

People with C.O.P.D. often have swelling that causes the airways to narrow. And they often produce more mucus than normal. This oily substance protects the airways, but too much of it blocks them.Smoking is the most common cause of C.O.P.D. Nonsmokers can get the disease from breathing other people's tobacco smoke.

参考译文：

全球超过2亿人患有慢性阻塞性肺疾病（Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, C.O.P.D.）。据世界卫生组织的数据显示2005年至少有500万人死于该疾病，发展中国家占了总人数的90％.

在美国，C.O.P.D.是第4大死因。但是虽然有这些数字记录，很多人对这种疾病还是一无所知。加拿大肺协会网在其网站上解释说C.O.P.D.是肺气肿和慢性支气管炎的新称谓。它们是C.O.P.D.最常见的病发形式，很多C.O.P.D.患者都有这2种疾病。

该病的结果是导致进展性且无法治愈的肺损伤。输送空气的肺部气管部分阻塞，使人呼吸困难，并且通常引起无法治愈的咳嗽。

C.O.P.D.患者（肺部）常有肿胀现象，导致呼吸道狭窄，并且患者通常比正常人分泌更多的粘液。这种油性物质虽然可以保护呼吸道，但是量过多就会导致呼吸道阻塞。吸烟是C.O.P.D.最常见的致病因素，不吸烟的人也会因吸入二手烟而患上这种疾病。

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