Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common lung disease. Having COPD makes it hard to breathe.

There are two main forms of COPD:

Chronic bronchitis, which involves a long-term cough with mucus

Emphysema, which involves damage to the lungs over time

Most people with COPD have a combination of both conditions.

Long-term exposure to things that irritate your lungs is the most common cause. In the U.S., that’s cigarette, pipe, or other types of tobacco smoke. If you hang around other smokers and breathe in a lot of secondhand smoke, that can play a role, too. Your odds also go up if you smoke and have asthma. If you smoke and have COPD, it tends to get worse faster. You might also develop this condition if you’ve been exposed to things like dust, air pollution, or certain chemicals for long periods of time.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly referred to as COPD, is a group of progressive lung diseases.

The most common of these diseases are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Many people with COPD have both of these conditions.

Emphysema slowly destroys air sacs in your lungs, which interferes with outward air flow. Bronchitis causes inflammation and narrowing of the bronchial tubes, which allows mucus to build up.

It’s estimated that about 30 million people in the United States have COPD. As many as half are unaware that they have it

Untreated, COPD can lead to a faster progression of disease, heart problems, and worsening respiratory infections.

An acute exacerbation of COPD is defined as increased shortness of breath, increased sputum production, a change in the color of the sputum from clear to green or yellow, or an increase in cough in someone with COPD. They may present with signs of increased work of breathing such as fast breathing, a fast heart rate, sweating, active use of muscles in the neck, a bluish tinge to the skin, and confusion or combative behavior in very severe exacerbations. Crackles may also be heard over the lungs on examination with a stethoscope

If you have COPD, you can take steps to feel better and slow the damage to your lungs:

• Control your breathing
• Clear your airway
• Exercise regularly
• Eat healthy foods
• Avoid smoke and air pollution
• See your doctor regularly

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With Regards

Rose Jackson

Auditorial Assistant

Journal of lung