COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is a chronic lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. The disease is increasingly common, affecting millions of world wide. The good news is COPD is often preventable and treatable. Here you’ll find information, resources and tools to help you understand COPD, manage treatment and lifestyle changes, find support and take action.

What Is COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease that over time makes it hard to breathe.

With COPD, the airways in your lungs become inflamed and thicken, and the tissue where oxygen is exchanged is destroyed. The flow of air in and out of your lungs decreases. When that happens, less oxygen gets into your body tissues, and it becomes harder to get rid of the waste gas carbon dioxide. As the disease gets worse, shortness of breath makes it harder to remain active.

Sometimes referred to as either chronic bronchitis or emphysema, most people will have symptoms of both conditions, so health professionals prefer to call the disease COPD. However, some doctors think that chronic bronchitis may be present even though a person does not have the airway obstruction characteristic of COPD. Your doctor can explain your condition and the best way to treat it.

It is important to remember that in many cases, COPD can be prevented and can be treated.

How Does COPD Affect your Body

COPD is a progressive lung disease, which means it gets worse over time.

Having COPD makes it hard to breathe because less air flows in and out of the airways in your lungs. This happens when:

  • Airways become thick and inflamed.
  • Airways and air sacs lose their elastic quality.
  • Lung tissue is destroyed.
  • Too much mucus is made and blocks (obstructs) airways.

When you’re getting less air, less oxygen gets into body tissues and it gets harder to get rid of the waste gas carbon dioxide. This results in shortness of breath during everyday activities. People with COPD can experience fatigue, chronic cough and frequent respiratory infections as well (see more about symptoms of COPD).

Because it’s hard to breathe, staying active with COPD can be difficult—especially as the disease progresses. Having COPD can limit things such as:

  • Ability to work
  • Normal physical exertion
  • Household chores
  • Social activities
  • Sleeping
  • Family activities

COPD doesn’t just have a physical impact—living with chronic disease also can affect mental health. If you have COPD, it’s not uncommon to feel fear, anxiety, depression or stress. Getting emotional support is just as important as protecting your lungs and staying active.

How Serious Is COPD

COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States. More than 11 million people have been diagnosed with COPD, but an estimated 24 million may have the disease without even knowing it. COPD causes serious long-term disability and early death. At this time there is no cure, and the number of people dying from COPD is growing.

COPD in Women

Deaths resulting from COPD in women are higher than in men. There are a few reasons why this happens.

  1. In the late 1960s, the tobacco industry intensely targeted women. This resulted in a huge increase in women smoking. We are still seeing new cases of smoking related diseases, including COPD, as women age.
  2. Women are more vulnerable than men to lung damage from cigarette smoke and other pollutants. Their lungs are smaller and estrogen plays a role in worsening lung disease.
  3. Women are often misdiagnosed. Because COPD has long been thought of as a man’s disease, many doctors still do not expect to see it in women and miss the proper diagnosis.

Missing the Warning Signs

COPD is often not found until the disease is very advanced because people do not know the early warning signs. Sometimes people think they are short of breath or less able to take part in their normal activities because they are “just getting older.”

It Can Be Treated

There’s no cure for COPD, but the good news is that it can be found early. Much can be done to treat and help manage the disease. Through medications, oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation and social support, many people are able to live with their disease for many years.

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