Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of lung diseases that block airflow as you exhale and make it increasingly difficult for you to breathe.

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) - Overview

What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?

COPD is a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. It is caused by damage to the lungs over many years, usually from smoking.

COPD is often a mix of two diseases:

* Chronic bronchitis camera (say "bron-KY-tus"). In chronic bronchitis, the airways that carry air to the lungs (bronchial tubes camera) get inflamed and make a lot of mucus. This can narrow or block the airways, making it hard for you to breathe.
* Emphysema camera (say "em-fuh-ZEE-muh"). In a healthy person, the tiny air sacs in the lungs are like balloons. As you breathe in and out, they get bigger and smaller to move air through your lungs. But with emphysema, these air sacs are damaged and lose their stretch. Less air gets in and out of the lungs, which makes you feel short of breath.

COPD gets worse over time. You can't undo the damage to your lungs. But you can take steps to prevent more damage and to feel better.

COPD is a leading cause of death and illness worldwide. Most COPD is caused by long-term smoking and can be prevented by not smoking or quitting soon after you start. This damage to your lungs can't be reversed, so treatment focuses on controlling symptoms and minimizing further damage.

What causes COPD?

COPD is almost always caused by smoking. Over time, breathing tobacco smoke irritates the airways and destroys the stretchy fibers in the lungs.

Other things that may put you at risk include breathing chemical fumes, dust, or air pollution over a long period of time. Secondhand smoke is also bad.

It usually takes many years for the lung damage to start causing symptoms, so COPD is most common in people who are older than 60.

You may be more likely to get COPD if you had a lot of serious lung infections when you were a child. People who get emphysema in their 30s or 40s may have a disorder that runs in families, called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. But this is rare.
What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms are:

* A long-lasting (chronic) cough.
* Mucus that comes up when you cough.
* Shortness of breath that gets worse when you exercise.

As COPD gets worse, you may be short of breath even when you do simple things like get dressed or fix a meal. It gets harder to eat or exercise, and breathing takes much more energy. People often lose weight and get weaker.

At times, your symptoms may suddenly flare up and get much worse. This is called a COPD exacerbation (say "egg-ZASS-er-BAY-shun"). An exacerbation can range from mild to life-threatening. The longer you have COPD, the more severe these flare-ups will be.
How is COPD diagnosed?

Why is it so hard to catch my breath?

COPD is a disease that damages the lungs. In a healthy lung, the airways are open and the air sacs fill up with air. Then the air goes quickly out.

When you have COPD, it's hard to get air through the airways and into and out of the air sacs.

Emphysema and chronic asthmatic bronchitis are the two main conditions that make up COPD. In all cases, damage to your airways eventually interferes with the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your lungs.

There are two main diseases with COPD:

1. Chronic bronchitis—
   The walls of the airways become inflamed, swell, and clog with mucus. This partly or completely blocks the airway, making it hard to move air in and out of the lungs.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Emphysema—
   The walls of the tiny air sacs stretch out and break down inside. Your lungs become overinflated and the air gets trapped, making it hard to get in the next breath.

What does COPD feel like?

COPD may cause one or more of these signs or symptoms:

• Shortness of breath, especially with activity
• Cough
• Increase in mucus
• Having to clear your throat often
• Being very tired

What causes COPD?

Smoking is the most common cause of COPD. Other risk factors include family history, secondhand smoke, air pollution, and lung problems as a child.

What is an exacerbation (ig-zas-er-BAY-shun)?

Your symptoms get worse. This can last for a few days. You may need different medicines. You may need to go to the hospital.

Taking care of COPD every day

The damage to your airways and lungs is permanent. But there are things you can do to feel better and slow the damage.

If you smoke, ask your doctor about a program to
help you quit smoking.

Exercise regularly (ask your doctor first what activities
are best for you).

Eat well and get enough rest.

Do not wait for a flare-up. Take your medicines as directed.

In general, avoid things that make your symptoms worse. Protect yourself from airway infections.

To find out if you have COPD, a doctor will:

* Do a physical exam and listen to your lungs.
* Ask you questions about your past health and whether you smoke or have been exposed to other things that can irritate your lungs.
* Have you do breathing tests, including spirometry, to find out how well your lungs work.
* Do chest X-rays and other tests to help rule out other problems that could be causing your symptoms.