Small blood vessels called capillaries run along the walls of the air sacs. When air reaches the air sacs, oxygen passes through the air sac walls into the blood in the capillaries. At the same time, a waste product, called carbon dioxide CO2 gas, moves from the capillaries into the air sacs. This process, called gas exchange, brings in oxygen for the body to use for vital functions and removes the CO2. The airways and air sacs are elastic or stretchy. When you breathe in, each air sac fills up with air, like a small balloon.
When you breathe out, the air sacs deflate and the air goes out. In emphysema, the walls between many of the air sacs are damaged. As a result, the air sacs lose their shape and become floppy. This damage also can destroy the walls of the air sacs, leading to fewer and larger air sacs instead of many tiny ones. If this happens, the amount of gas exchange in the lungs is reduced.
In chronic bronchitis, the lining of the airways stays constantly irritated and inflamed, and this causes the lining to swell. Lots of thick mucus forms in the airways, making it hard to breathe. Most people who have COPD have both emphysema and chronic bronchitis, but the severity of each condition varies from person to person.
Thus, the general term COPD is more accurate. COPD is a major cause of disability, and it is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Currently, 16 million people are diagnosed with COPD. Many more people may have the disease and not even know it.
COPD develops slowly. Symptoms often worsen over time and can limit your ability to do routine activities. Severe COPD may prevent you from doing even basic activities like walking, cooking, or taking care of yourself. Most of the time, COPD is diagnosed in middle-aged or older adults. The disease is not contagious, meaning it cannot be passed from person to person.
COPD is the result of damage to the lungs from smoking cigarettes or by breathing in second-hand smoke or other lung irritants—such as air pollution, chemical fumes, or dusts. COPD has no cure yet, and doctors do not know how to reverse the damage to the lungs. However, treatments and lifestyle changes can help you feel better, stay more active, and slow the progress of the disease. Long-term exposure to lung irritants that damage the lungs and the airways usually is the cause of COPD.
Pipe, cigar, and other types of tobacco smoke also can cause COPD, especially if the smoke is inhaled. Breathing in secondhand smoke, which is in the air from other people smoking; air pollution; or chemical fumes or dusts from the environment or workplace also can contribute to COPD. Rarely, a genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency may play a role in causing COPD. People who have this condition have low blood levels of alpha-1 antitrypsin AAT —a protein made in the liver.
If you have alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and also smoke, COPD can worsen very quickly. Some people who have asthma can develop COPD. Asthma is a chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. Treatment usually can reverse the inflammation and narrowing that occurs in asthma.
The main risk factor for COPD is smoking. Up to 75 percent of people who have COPD smoke or used to smoke. People who have a family history of COPD are more likely to develop the disease if they smoke. Long-term exposure to other lung irritants also is a risk factor for COPD. Examples of other lung irritants include air pollution, chemical fumes and dusts from the environment or workplace, and secondhand smoke, which is smoke in the air from other people smoking.
Most people who have COPD are at least 40 years old when symptoms begin. Although uncommon, people younger than 40 can have COPD.
This may occur, for example, if a person has a predisposing health issue, such as the genetic condition known as alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. You can take steps to prevent COPD before it starts. If you already have COPD, you can take steps to prevent complications and slow the progression of the disease. The best way to prevent COPD is to not start smoking or to quit smoking.
Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. If you smoke, talk with your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit. If you have trouble quitting smoking on your own, consider joining a support group. Many hospitals, workplaces, and community groups offer classes to help people quit smoking. Ask your family members and friends to support you in your efforts to quit.
Also, try to avoid lung irritants that can contribute to COPD, such as air pollution, chemical fumes, dusts, and secondhand smoke, which is smoke in the air from other people smoking. Although these resources focus on heart health, they include basic information about how to quit smoking. If you have COPD, the most important step you can take is to quit smoking.
Quitting can help prevent complications and slow the progression of the disease. You also should avoid exposure to the lung irritants mentioned above. Follow your treatments for COPD exactly as your doctor prescribes. They can help you breathe easier, stay more active, and avoid or manage severe symptoms.
Talk with your doctor about whether and when you should get flu, or influenza, and pneumonia vaccines. These vaccines can lower your chances of getting these illnesses, which are major health risks for people who have COPD. At first, COPD may cause no symptoms or only mild symptoms.
As the disease gets worse, symptoms usually become more severe. Common signs and symptoms of COPD include:. If you have COPD, you also may often have colds or other respiratory infections such as the flu, or influenza. Not everyone who has the symptoms described above has COPD. Likewise, not everyone who has COPD has these symptoms. Some of the symptoms of COPD are similar to the symptoms of other diseases and conditions.
Your doctor can determine if you have COPD. If your symptoms are mild, you may not notice them, or you may adjust your lifestyle to make breathing easier. For example, you may take the elevator instead of the stairs.
Over time, symptoms may become severe enough to cause you to see a doctor. For example, you may become short of breath during physical exertion. The severity of your symptoms will depend on how much lung damage you have. If you keep smoking, the damage will occur faster than if you stop smoking. Severe COPD can cause other symptoms, such as swelling in your ankles, feet, or legs; weight loss; and lower muscle endurance.
Some severe symptoms may require treatment in a hospital. You—or, if you are unable, family members or friends— should seek emergency care if you are experiencing the following:. As soon as you notice symptoms of COPD in yourself or a loved one, talk to your doctor.
Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your doctor visit. Your doctor will diagnose COPD based on your signs and symptoms, your medical and family histories, and test results. Your doctor may ask whether you smoke or have had contact with lung irritants, such as secondhand smoke, air pollution, chemical fumes, or dusts. If you have an ongoing cough , let your doctor know how long you've had it, how much you cough, and how much mucus comes up when you cough.
Also, let your doctor know whether you have a family history of COPD. Your doctor will examine you and use a stethoscope to listen for wheezing or other abnormal chest sounds.
He or she also may recommend one or more tests to diagnose COPD. Diagnosing COPD. Learn about spirometry and other diagnostic tests your doctor may use to diagnose COPD based on your symptoms and risk factors. Pulmonary function tests measure how much air you can breathe in and out, how fast you can breathe air out, and how well your lungs deliver oxygen to your blood.
The main test for COPD is spirometry. Other lung function tests, such as a lung diffusion capacity test, also might be used. Read Pulmonary Function Tests for more information. During this painless test, a technician will ask you to take a deep breath in.
Then, you'll blow as hard as you can into a tube connected to a small machine. The machine is called a spirometer. Spirometry test. Spirometry measures how much air you breathe out and how fast you blow it out. This means that people have two abnormal genes inherited from their biological parents. Approximately , people in the U. People can get a blood test to check whether they have alpha Early diagnosis can help prevent the condition from getting worse.
People with chronic asthma may be more at risk of COPD, especially if they find it hard to manage the condition effectively.
People who had severe respiratory infections as children may also have a higher risk of COPD. A family history of obstructive lung disease can also increase the risk. Those who have had tuberculosis TB could also be more at risk, as this disease can cause permanent scarring to the lungs, as well as bronchiectasis and fibrosis scarring in the lungs. There were similar amounts of COPD cases in men and women who did smoke. Also, exposure to biomass fuel affected more women than men.
The study defined exposure to biomass fuel as 10 years or more exposure from using a wood, coal, or manure-burning indoor fire as the main source of heating or tool for cooking. Some research has found that older age can increase the risk of COPD. Avoiding pollutants that can irritate the lungs is also one of the best ways to prevent COPD.
Staying away from dust, toxic fumes, heavy exhaust fumes, and strong chemicals can all help. If people work in an environment with frequent exposure to toxic fumes, they should make sure they wear the correct protective clothing and face masks at all times.
If people notice any issues with their breathing, such as a persistent cough or shortness of breath, they should see their doctor for a checkup. Early diagnosis can help reduce the progression of lung disease. People can also try to protect themselves from getting the flu or chest infections, both of which can increase the risk of COPD. This may make the mucus easier to cough out.
Limit caffeinated beverages because they can interfere with medications. If you have heart problems, you may need to drink less, so talk to your doctor. Maintaining a healthy weight is important. It takes more energy to breathe when you have COPD, so you might need to take in more calories. Overall, having COPD weakens your immune system and decreases your ability to fight off infection.
A full stomach makes it harder for your lungs to expand, leaving you short of breath. If you find that this happens to you, try these remedies:. Check out these 5 diet tips for people with COPD.
COPD requires lifelong disease management. That means following the advice of your healthcare team and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits.
There are different grading systems, and one grading system is part of the GOLD classification. This is based on the spirometry test result of your FEV1. This is the amount of air you can breathe out of the lungs in the first second of a forced expiration. The severity increases as your FEV1 decreases.
The GOLD classification also takes into account your individual symptoms and history of acute exacerbations. Based on this information, your doctor can assign a letter group to you to help define your COPD grade. Learn more about the different stages of COPD.
COPD and lung cancer are major health problems worldwide. These two diseases are linked in a number of ways. COPD and lung cancer have several common risk factors. Smoking is the number one risk factor for both diseases.
Both are more likely if you breathe secondhand smoke, or are exposed to chemicals or other fumes in the workplace. There may be a genetic predisposition to developing both diseases. Also, the risk of developing either COPD or lung cancer increases with age. It was estimated in that between 40 and 70 percent of people with lung cancer also have COPD. This same study concluded that COPD is a risk factor for lung cancer.
A study suggests they may actually be different aspects of the same disease, and that COPD could be a driving factor in lung cancer.
It does mean that you have a higher risk. Learn more about the possible complications of COPD. Most people with COPD are 40 years of age or older. The majority of people with COPD are smokers or former smokers. Smoking is the most important risk factor that can be changed. In up to 5 percent of people with COPD, the cause is a genetic disorder involving a deficiency of a protein called alphaantitrypsin.
COPD is a leading cause of hospitalizations in industrialized countries. In the year , it was noted that there were over , hospital admissions and approximately 1. More women than men die from COPD each year. Much of that can be attributed to an aging population. Check out more statistics about COPD. COPD generally reduces life expectancy, though the outlook varies considerably from person to person.
People with COPD who never smoked may have a modest reduction in life expectancy , while former and current smokers are likely to have a larger reduction. Early symptoms can usually be managed, and certain lifestyle choices can help you maintain a good quality of life for some time. People with severe stages of COPD may not be able to care for themselves without assistance.
They may also be at risk of depression and anxiety. Besides smoking, your outlook depends on how well you respond to treatment and whether you can avoid serious complications. Your doctor is in the best position to evaluate your overall health and give you an idea about what to expect. Learn more about the life expectancy and prognosis for people with COPD. Read this article in Spanish.
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