Deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the United States, 1987.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and allied conditions (COPD) continue to be the fifth leading cause of U.S. mortality. In 1987 the age-adjusted death rate was 18.7 for the entire country. Rates increased with age and were more than two times higher among men 45 and over than among women. In 1987 the Mountain region led in age-adjusted COPD mortality rates for both sexes--130.2 per 100,000 for men and 66.3 for women. Tobacco smoking is considered the major cause of COPD, and in its absence, COPD would be uncommon. Continued and expanded smoking cessation efforts are needed in an effort to decrease the rate of this largely preventable group of diseases.