Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a commonly reported cause of death and associated with smoking. However, COPD mortality is high in poor countries with low smoking rates. Spirometric restriction predicts mortality better than airflow obstruction, suggesting that the prevalence of restriction could explain mortality rates attributed to COPD. A prospective study (January 2014 to March 2014) analysis of all COPD cases who attended St. Joseph Hospital, Nellore, for a period of 3 months was done. A total of 40 COPD cases are included in this study. Data regarding age, sex, occupation, personal history and treatment given to the patient were collected from the hospital records and analyzed. All types of COPD cases above the age of 20 years were included in this study. The study was carried out at the multi specialty hospital in Nellore. This study was a prospective from January 2014 to March 2014. It was found that the male patients outnumbered the COPD admission over the female patients. According to age groups, the majority of the COPD cases were found in the age groups of 60-70 years (22.5%). In this study smoker (60%) was the most common when compared to non-smokers (40%). Classifying the COPD cases by occupation of the patient’s, farmers were found most common 15 (37.5%). This is due to smoking habits by the farmers. Pharmacotherapy given to the COPD patients were various bronchodilators, antibiotics, NSAIDS, corticosteroids etc. Smoking remains the single most important cause of obstruction but a high prevalence of restriction associated with poverty could explain the high ‘COPD’ mortality in poor countries.
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