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COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. COPD is a term that
refers mainly to two closely related respiratory disorders that gradually take
a person’s breath away: chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema associated with airflow obstruction. A person with COPD sometimes has both chronic bronchitis and
emphysema, or may just have one of these diseases. The definitions below
may help you understand chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
- Chronic bronchitis is a long-standing inflammation of the airways that produces a lot of
mucus, causing wheezing and infections. It’s considered chronic if someone
has coughing and mucus on a regular basis for at least 3 months a year and
for 2 years in a row.
- Emphysema is a disease that destroys the air sacs and/or the smallest breathing
tubes in the lungs. Simply put, the lungs lose elasticity, similar to an overused
rubber band. This causes the air sacs to become enlarged, thus making breathing
difficult.
Nothing can reverse the lung damage that occurs with COPD. In the beginning
stages of COPD, a person may have only a mild shortness of breath and occasional
coughing spells. Many people don’t know they have COPD at first. Initial symptoms
can include a general feeling of illness, increasing shortness of breath, coughing,
and wheezing. But as the disease progresses, symptoms become increasingly more
severe.
The overwhelming cause of COPD is smoking. In fact, approximately 90%
of COPD patients have a history of smoking. Quitting
smoking can slow down the decline of lung
function related to COPD. Also, some healthcare professionals believe that, over
time, untreated or under-treated asthma may lead to irreversible lung damage. These patients may have symptoms similar to COPD.
If you’re at risk for this disease or are caring
for someone who is, it’s important to be aware of COPD symptoms and treatments.
Your healthcare professional can perform a lung function test that can determine whether or not you have COPD.
And if you are diagnosed with it, there are several treatment
options.
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