这里是美国之音慢速英语健康报告。
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a life-threatening condition commonly caused by years of smoking. Doctors say that over time the damage interferes with the natural exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs.
慢性阻塞性肺简称慢阻肺，是一种危及生命的疾病，通常是由常年吸烟造成的。医生说，随着时间的推移，慢阻肺病造成的损害会影响氧气和二氧化碳在肺部的自然交换。
COPD is not curable but treatment can extend a patient's life. Doctors often treat it with steroids. Now, a study shows that low doses of the medicine given by mouth are equal to, or better than, a heavy dose administered into the blood.
慢阻肺病无法治愈，但通过治疗可以延长病人的生命。医生通常使用类固醇治疗。当前的一项研究表明，口服小剂量的治疗药物的效果等同，甚至大于向血液注射大剂量药物。
Researchers studied patients treated at four hundred hospitals in two thousand six and two thousand seven. The patients received steroids either intravenously or by mouth.
研究人员调查了2006-2007年期间，在400家医院接受治疗的患者的情况。这些患者要么通过静脉注射，要么通过口服获得类固醇药物治疗。
The study found that those who received lower doses of steroids by mouth spent less time in the hospital. Also, their risk of side effects such as glaucoma, high blood pressure and edema, or swelling in the legs, was reduced.
研究发现，口服低剂量类固醇的患者在医院治疗花的时间更少。此外，治疗导致的副作用，如青光眼，高血压和腿部肿胀的风险也都有所降低。
Peter Lindenauer from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts, led the study. The findings are in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
来自马萨诸塞州波士顿市的塔夫茨大学医学院的彼得·林德瑙尔主导了这项研究，研究结果发表在美国医学会杂志上。
The World Health Organization estimates that more than two hundred million people have been found to have COPD. Most live in low and middle income countries.
据世界卫生组织估计，有超过2亿人被发现患有慢阻肺病。大部分生活在中、低收入国家。
COPD blocks airflow in the lungs. Patients have to think about their breathing. They also have to exercise. And they have to learn to calm themselves, especially when they are short of breath.
慢阻肺病阻塞肺部气流。病人要考虑他们的呼吸，他们还必须锻炼。他们要学会使自己冷静，尤其是当他们呼吸急促时。
SOUND: "Big deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth."
声音：“大口深呼吸，用鼻子吸气，用嘴巴呼气”。
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, as well as asthmatic bronchitis. One sign of it is a wheezing sound when the person breathes. Another symptom is a cough that produces yellow mucus and does not go away.
慢阻肺病包括肺气肿和慢性支气管炎，以及哮喘性支气管炎。它的一个症状是呼吸时有喘息声。另一个症状是咳嗽带黄痰，且常年不消失。
Miners and chemical workers are at risk of COPD from breathing dust and harmful chemicals. But the most common cause is long-term smoking or years of breathing other people's smoke.
矿工和化学工人由于吸入粉尘和有害化学物质处于慢阻肺病风险中。但最常见的原因是长期吸烟或常年被动吸二手烟。
Francis Welch is a retired dentist, former smoker and now a COPD patient.
弗朗西斯·韦尔奇是一位退休牙医，以前是个烟民，现在是慢阻肺病患者。
FRANCIS WELCH: "I have to think about breathing sixty minutes of every hour. It's a heck of a nuisance."
弗朗西斯·韦尔奇：“我每分钟都不得不考虑呼吸。这真是困扰！。”
He stopped smoking more than ten years ago. He also persuaded his son to stop.
他10年前戒烟，还说服了他的儿子戒烟。
FRANCIS WELCH: "Until he saw me walking around with a can of liquid oxygen. That got his attention. He finally did smoke, quit smoking, thank God."
弗朗西斯·韦尔奇：“直到他看见我背着一罐液氧走路才引起了他的注意。感谢上帝他最终戒了烟。”