What is the life expectancy of a COPD patient?

A healthy, non-smoking 65-year old patient with stage 1 COPD can live an average of 17 years after the diagnosis, says a study by the National Institutes of Health. The life expectancies of those with more advanced stages of COPD are reduced.

Up to 12 million Americans may have COPD, claims WebMD, and detecting the disease early is the best way to curtail its symptoms. There is no cure or treatment for COPD. Most people who get the disease are smokers older than 45 years of age. A 65-year-old smoker with stage 1 COPD has a life expectancy of 14 years, less than those who have never smoked.