Between 1990 and 2010 the number of deaths from COPD decreased slightly from 3.1 million to 2.9 million[REF] and became the fourth leading cause of death [REF].
In England, an estimated 0.84 million people (of 50 million) have a diagnosis of COPD; this translates into approximately one person in 59 receiving a diagnosis of COPD at some point in their lives.