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COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a condition caused by damage to the airways or other parts of the lung that blocks airflow and makes it hard to breathe. Learn who is at risk for COPD, what symptoms to watch for, and how the disease affects the lungs. COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of a slimy substance ...
Common symptoms of COPD include: Shortness of breath, especially with physical activity. You may feel like breathing takes more effort or that you are gasping for air. An ongoing cough or a cough that produces a lot of mucus, sometimes called a smoker’s cough. This is often the first symptom of COPD. Wheezing or a whistling or squeaky sound ...
Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency is a condition that raises your risk for lung and other diseases. AAT is a protein made in your liver to help protect the lungs. If your body does not make enough AAT, your lungs are more easily damaged from smoking, pollution, or dust from the environment. This can lead to COPD or bronchiectasis, another ...
Causes and Risk Factors of COPD (3:26) Learn about NHLBI research to help understand why some people get COPD or get more severe COPD than others. Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of COPD in the United States. Long-term smoking or exposure to breathing in tobacco smoke or pollutants in the air damages the lungs and airways.
A chest X-ray is a fast and painless imaging test to look at the structures in and around your chest. The test cannot diagnose COPD, but it can be used to find other conditions that may interact with COPD. The test may be done in a healthcare provider’s office, clinic, or hospital. You will stand, sit, or lie still for the test.
This guide provides an overview of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), its symptoms, how it affects breathing, and how it's diagnosed and treated. It can be used by health care professionals to have a dialogue with patients or as a general handout to raise awareness about COPD. Print Length:
An overview of COPD — including risk factors, signs and symptoms, and treatment options. Learn about COPD's effects on the lungs and common COPD symptoms with this animated video. COPD is a disease that makes it harder to breathe. COPD is also known as chronic bronchitis or emphysema.
Take care of your mental health. Living with COPD may cause fear, anxiety, depression, and stress. Talking to your healthcare provider or a professional counselor may help. If you are depressed, your provider may recommend medicines or other treatments that can improve your quality of life. Joining a patient support group may help you adjust to ...
Short-acting bronchodilators last about 4 to 6 hours. If your COPD is moderate or severe, you may need long-acting bronchodilators that last about 12 hours or more. You take these every day. If your COPD is severe or your symptoms flare up often, your provider may prescribe a combination of bronchodilators and an inhaled steroid.
In the 12-week, randomized, double-blinded study, which was part of the Redefining Therapy in Early COPD for the Pulmonary Trials Cooperative (RETHINC), researchers enrolled 535 adults with symptoms of COPD, ages 40-80, at one of 20 U.S. medical centers. Twice each day, study participants used an inhaler that contained either medication or a ...