Abstract

EFFECT OF OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS AND SMOKING ON THE COPD PROGRESSION

Valentina Petkova*, Miglena Doneva, Maria Kamusheva, Maria Dimitrova, Milen Dimitrov and Guenka Petrova

ABSTRACT

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious threat to healthcare systems worldwide. COPD is a major cause of disability and death among the population as a major etiological role in the disease has occupational hazards and smoking. The objective of this study was to study Bulgarian COPD patients in terms of their demographic characteristics and the effect of occupational hazards, smoking and the duration of time from diagnosis on disease progression. An observational study among patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease of cities in Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, Southeast Bulgaria and Sofia was performed. The study confirms that among the Bulgarian COPD patients the increased rate in GOLD is directly proportional to the hazard environmental factors and the smoking duration.

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