frequency of copd from emedicine.com

United States

Approximately 14.2 million people have COPD, approximately 12.5 million have chronic bronchitis, and 1.7 million have emphysema. Since 1982, the patients diagnosed with COPD increased by 41.5%. Researchers estimate the prevalence of chronic airflow obstruction in the United States as 8-17% for men and 10-19% for women. The prevalence rates increased in women by 30% in the last decade.
International

Worldwide data are sparse, but the rates likely are higher because more than 1.2 billion humans are exposed to the ravages of smoking. A population-based epidemiologic study from Spain determined the prevalence of COPD in individuals aged 40-69 years at 9.1% (78% were men).

Based on pooled data from a number of studies, global prevalence of COPD was 7.5%, chronic bronchitis alone was 6.4%, and emphysema alone was 1.8%. The prevalence from 26 spirometric estimates was 8.9%. The most common spirometric definitions were those of the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). Thus, the prevalence of physiologically defined COPD in adults aged 40 years and older is approximately 9-10%.