Coping with Bronchitis and Emphysema

Bronchitis and emphysema affect some three million people in the U.K. and kill 30,000 people each year. They account for more loss of time from work than any other form of illness, and are usually caused by smoking, which leads to inflammation of the bronchi. As the lungs become increasingly damaged, shortness of breath develops even on moderate exertion, such as climbing stairs. As the condition worsens, simple tasks such as washing or shaving cause marked shortness of breath, and eventually fi