More than 140,000 Americans die from COPD each year – here’s why survival depends on more than avoiding smoking
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, caused 141,733 deaths in the United States in 2023 – the latest data that has been reported. That number reflects not just the effects of smoking, but a broader set of medical and social factors that shape who survives.
As of early 2026, COPD