摘要:
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a convenient but inaccurate acronym used to describe a heterogeneous group of pulmonary disorders which, although superjGciallj1 similar, differ from each other in terms of their clinical manifestations and course, their defining characteristics, and their pathophysiology. Even the implied unifiing finding of airflow obstruction is not present invariably in patients with these disorders. Despite the confusion that is both reflected in and engendered by their nickname, these diseases are of immense social and medical importance. The four disorders typically included under the heading of COPD are asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchiectasis. Together, they affect over 20 million Americans, account for over 17 million visits to physicians annually, cost society more than $14 billion a year as a result of direct medical costs and days of work lost, and are responsible for approximately 75,000 deaths annually (the fifth leading cause of death in this country1).The purpose of this lesson is to provide pathologic and radiologic correlation of the several entities which comprise the term chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
ISSN:0149-9009
出版商:OVID
年代:1996
数据来源: OVID