Lung diseases are a common cause of death among Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, chronic lower respiratory diseases killed 127,924 Americans in 2007, and influenza and pneumonia killed 52,717. The U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health states that millions of Americans have lung disease, and that if all types of lung disease are grouped together, it's one of the top three killers in the United States.
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer can be a fatal lung disease. According to LungCancer.org, lung cancer is characterized by the runaway growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs. Unlike typical lung cells, these abnormal cells do not perform constructive work, and they do not contribute to lung health. In fact, as the abnormal cells grow and multiply, they can develop into tumors that impair the lung's principle function: gas exchange. LungCancer.org notes that there are several types of lung cancer, and that each type of of lung cancer is treated differently. The two principle types of lung cancer are non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, and small cell lung cancer, or SCLC. NSCLC accounts for about 80 percent of all lung cancers, and includes squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, bronchioalveolar carcinoma and large-cell undifferentiated carcinoma. LungCancer.org notes that, although SCLC accounts for only 20 percent of all lung cancers, it can spread quickly throughout a person's body.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis can be a fatal lung disease. The Mayo Clinic website states that, without treatment, tuberculosis can be fatal, and that drug-resistant strains of the disease exist and are more challenging to treat. Tuberculosis, which is an infectious disease, primarily targets the lungs, and is spread from one person to another by droplets released into the air, although the majority of people who become infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis never develop tuberculosis symptoms. According to the Mayo Clinic website, despite recent medical advances in the treatment of tuberculosis, the disease remains a significant cause of illness and death around the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and tuberculosis accounts about 2 million deaths each year. Tuberculosis rates have continued to climb since the 1980s, largely due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the appearance of drug-resistant strains of the tuberculosis bacteria.
Influenza
Influenza can be a fatal lung disease. According to the World Health Organization, or WHO, influenza is a viral infection that typically affects a person's nose, throat, bronchi and lungs, and in normal, healthy individuals, the infection often lasts for about one week. An influenza infection is characterized by the sudden onset of fever, muscles aches, headache, weakness or malaise, sore throat, non-productive cough and rhinitis or irritation and inflammation of the nasal tissues. The WHO states that the influenza virus is passed from person to person by droplets sent into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and that infection in children, older individuals and people with compromised immune systems can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia and death. The Mayo Clinic website states that a person may prevent influenza infections by washing his hands regularly, eating a healthy diet, getting sufficient and quality sleep, exercising regularly and avoiding crowds during flu season.
