TY - JOUR T1 - The global burden of chronic respiratory diseases JF - Breathe JO - Breathe SP - 20 LP - 29 DO - 10.1183/18106838.0301.20 VL - 3 IS - 1 AU - S. Maio AU - S. Baldacci AU - L. Carrozzi AU - F. Pistelli AU - G. Viegi Y1 - 2006/09/01 UR - http://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/3/1/20.abstract N2 - Key pointsCurrently, the serious consequences of chronic diseases and their risk factors are not fully recognised by the international health community.In the period of 1990–2020, COPD deaths are expected to increase from 2.2 to 4.7 million worldwide.Reducing chronic disease death rates by an additional 2% annually would avert 36 million deaths by 2015.The abatement of the main risk factors for respiratory diseases, in particular tobacco smoking, environmental tobacco smoke, indoor biomass fuels, outdoor air pollution and unhealthy diet, can achieve huge health benefits.Educational aimsTo define the burden of chronic respiratory diseases all over the world.To underline the importance of chronic diseases recognition by the international health community.To provide details about the burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): the predicted third cause of death by 2020.Summary Currently, the serious consequences of chronic diseases and their risk factors are not fully recognised by the international health community. Moreover, chronic diseases are not only a problem of the ageing population in developed countries. In fact, it has been estimated that 80% of mortality for chronic diseases occurred in low-income and middleincome countries in 2005. Thus, the World Health Organization (WHO) Dept of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion has suggested a new Millennium Development Goal for the next few years: to reduce chronic disease death rates by an additional 2% annually, in order to avert 36 million deaths by 2015. ER -