Lung disease kills one in ten people and the tobacco is the leading cause of death. For experts from the European Respiratory Society, it is clear that new generations of smokers will lead to a sharp increase in deaths over the next 20 years. Deaths caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.
This concern is echoed in a report called the European Lung White Book, a white paper that compiled data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Center for Prevention and Control.
What are the most common diseases behind these grim predictions? The document lists four: pneumonia, COPD, lung cancer and tuberculosis.
Pulmonologists rank countries by death rate from lung disease. Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland and the United Kingdom are the worst students with high mortality (more than 112 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants).
At the bottom of the scale, we find Finland and Sweden, which have the lowest mortality rates (less than 56 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants).
More prevention in Europe
The report points out that smoking constitutes “the most important health risk in Europe”. But cigarettes are not the only culprit of these deaths from lung disease. Outdoor pollution (urban and industrial) and indoor pollution are also on the docket. These are responsible for more and more hospitalizations for pulmonary pathologies.
Professor Francesco Blasi, President of the European Respiratory Society calls for better policies for the prevention of lung diseases: “The prevention and treatment of lung diseases need to be improved if we want to reduce their impact on longevity, the quality of life and the economy in Europe and around the world”, he concludes.
