AAA Altana Aktiengesellschaft

Sharon O'Hara, 66, was humbled by her loss of physical strength. She realized she had reached a low point when she had to crawl on the kitchen floor to feed her dogs. O'Hara, a former smoker, had ignored her diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) for two years and now found herself unable to stand. She knew she had no choice but to turn her life around. O'Hara is not alone. The American Lung Association estimates 10.7 million adults in the United States have been diagnosed with COPD and an estimated 120,000 people will die as a result this year - making COPD America's fourth leading cause of death. According to a recent report in the Journal of the American Medical Association(1), the death rate from COPD has doubled in the last 30 years and is estimated to be the third largest cause of death worldwide by 2020. To raise public awareness about COPD and provide support to those coping with the disease, the Lung Association and ALTANA Pharma US have partnered for their third annual educational awareness campaign: "Hungry For Air: Breathing Better Together." Beginning November 1, individuals can visit www.lungusa.org to download the free Discover How We Are Breathing Better Together booklet. The booklet features inspirational stories, like O'Hara's, along with advice and support from other COPD patients and caregivers, the latest facts about COPD, questions to ask if you think you have COPD, and additional resources. The booklet will be updated three times throughout November and December to encourage an ongoing dialogue among the new online community. "Being diagnosed with COPD is difficult news for patients to hear. The incurable disease presents patients with a need to relate with people experiencing the same symptoms, emotions and challenges," said Dr. Norman Edelman, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association and vice president for Health Sciences and professor of medicine at SUNY Stony Brook University. "Many times emotional support is as therapeutic as the medical treatment. It provides motivation for patients to make a significant change for the better. " The Facts About COPD COPD refers to a large group of lung diseases characterized by obstruction to airflow that interferes with normal breathing. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the most important conditions that compose COPD and they may co-exist, hence physicians prefer the term COPD. Primary symptoms of COPD include chronic cough, shortness of breath, a greater effort to breathe, increased mucus production, and frequent clearing of the throat. Long-term smoking is responsible for 80-90 percent of all COPD cases and is the most common cause of COPD, which claims the lives of more than 120,000 Americans annually. A smoker is 10 times more likely than a non-smoker to die of COPD. Other risk factors include occupational hazards, air pollution, heredity, second-hand smoke and a history of childhood respiratory infections. "Since it seems many smokers or ex-smokers are often unaware of the disease and may harbor feelings of guilt, shame or fear, the signs of COPD may be ignored or misinterpreted," Dr. Edelman said. "While more than 10 million Americans have COPD, it is estimated that 24 million adults have impaired lung function, which indicates that COPD is undiagnosed in more than nearly half the people who may have it." Data continues to indicate that the number of deaths due to COPD is higher among women than men. In 2002, 61,000 females died compared to 59,000 males. "This maybe due to the increasing smoking rate among females compared with the steady smoking rate of men throughout the last half of the century," Dr. Edelman said. Emerging evidence indicates that COPD also is a disease of systemic inflammation dominated by the production of neutrophils, which may cause epithelial and endothelial damage and lung remodeling. According to estimates by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, chronic bronchitis and emphysema take a heavy toll on our economy. In 2004, the annual cost to the nation for COPD was $37.2 billion. This included $20.9 billion in direct health care expenditures, $7.4 billion in indirect morbidity costs and $8.9 billion in indirect mortality costs. Treatable and Preventable Despite Statistics Despite the statistics, COPD is preventable and treatable. According to the Lung Association, with proper treatment, patients can improve lung function, reduce the number of necessary hospital visits, prevent acute episodes, minimize disability and delay early death. For this reason, a spirometry (lung function) test is strongly recommended at the first sign of symptoms, before the condition has a chance to worsen. "This disease affects every area of an individual's life, limiting what they can do," Dr. Edelman said. "While we cannot cure COPD, early diagnosis can open the door to treatment options that can dramatically improve the quality of life." According to O'Hara, the process of regaining an improved quality of life was slow, but she acknowledges an upbeat attitude, optimistic mindset, exercise regimen and support network were influential. "You have to go beyond your shortness of breath and take what you have and turn it around to something positive - this is an opportunity," said O'Hara. "Exercise, have goals, and remember, we don't 'suffer' from anything. We are not victims." Exercising made such an impact that O'Hara, who once was not able to pick up her granddaughter, will participate in the Lung Association's 3,330-mile bike ride, the Big Ride Across America in June 2006. (1) Journal of the American Medical Association. Vol. 294 pp. 1255-1259, 2005. About the American Lung Association Beginning our second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lung disease death rates continue to increase while other leading causes of death have declined. The American Lung Association funds vital research on the causes of and treatments for lung disease. With the generous support of the public, the American Lung Association is "Improving life, one breath at a time." For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or log on to www.lungusa.org. About ALTANA Pharma US ALTANA Pharma US occupies a unique position in the U.S. pharmaceutical marketplace. The company has a 130-year heritage and the resources of an established global pharmaceutical company, yet it has many of the characteristics of a start-up company: small, growing rapidly and rich in pipeline products. Overseeing the development, launch and marketing efforts of innovative respiratory and gastrointestinal products in the U.S., ALTANA Pharma US established its U.S. headquarters in Florham Park, N.J., in 2002. It also serves as the home for Global Corporate Respiratory Marketing, a symbolic move that underlines the importance of the U.S. market to ALTANA. That same year, ALTANA established the ALTANA Research Institute (ARI), a genomics-oriented research center, in Waltham, Mass., and also was listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AAA, a key step in being recognized as a global company. For more information about ALTANA Pharma US, please visit www.altanapharma-us.com.