Today is World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Day and the Hawke's Bay District Health Board says it's not too late to improve your respiratory health and with the right treatment and care people suffering the disease can improve their lives.
More than 400 Hawke's Bay people are admitted to hospital annually for COPD, New Zealand's third most common cause of death, affecting the lives and families of more than 700,000 people and costing the country more than $5.5 billion every year.
The progressive lung disease, often undiagnosed, has symptoms including frequent breathlessness and coughing. Once established it causes irreparable lung damage.
For more information see ourhealthhb.nz
