Understanding COPD: Causes and Management Strategies

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What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties. COPD is a common condition that mainly affects middle-aged or older adults who smoke. Many people do not realise they have it.

What does a COPD diagnosis mean?

A COPD diagnosis means you may have one of these lung-damaging diseases or symptoms of both. COPD can progress gradually, making it harder to breathe over time. Chronic bronchitis irritates your bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from your lungs. In response, the tubes swell and mucus (phlegm or “snot”) builds up along the lining.

What is COPD & how is it treated?

COPD is a disease that damages your lungs over time. It may start with mild symptoms and then get worse. Treatment can help symptoms and slow disease progression. What is COPD? Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly referred to as COPD, is a group of progressive lung diseases.

How does COPD affect the lungs?

It is sometimes called emphysema or chronic bronchitis. In people with COPD, the lungs can get damaged or clogged with phlegm. Symptoms include cough, sometimes with phlegm, difficulty breathing, wheezing and tiredness. Smoking and air pollution are the most common causes of COPD. People with COPD are at higher risk of other health problems.

What are the symptoms of COPD?

The most common symptoms of COPD are difficulty breathing, chronic cough (sometimes with phlegm) and feeling tired. COPD symptoms can get worse quickly. These are called flare-ups. These usually last for a few days and often require additional medicine. People with COPD also have a higher risk for other health problems. These include:

How common is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death worldwide, causing 3.23 million deaths in 2019. Nearly 90% of COPD deaths in those under 70 years of age occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). COPD is the seventh leading cause of poor health worldwide (measured by disability-adjusted life years)

What Is COPD

1. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd/
2. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-(copd)
3. https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/conditions/copd-chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease/what-chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease
4. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/copd/symptoms-causes/syc-20353679
5. https://www.healthline.com/health/copd
6. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/lungs-and-airways/copd/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease
7. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8709-chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd
8. https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease/background-information/definition/

COPD Information

1. https://patient.info/chest-lungs/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-leaflet