COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
What is COPD?
What causes COPD?
Who has COPD?
What are its symptoms?
How serious is COPD?
COPD treatment
Patient testimonials
What is COPD?
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a broad term for smoking-related lung disease that may lead to shortness of breath, cough and wheezing. The damaged lungs of COPD patients can make breathing difficult and limit activity.
COPD is often a mix of two diseases: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. In chronic bronchitis, inflammation occurs in the bronchial tubes. The inflammation narrows these tubes, making it difficult to breathe. Some people with chronic bronchitis may also have a persistent cough that brings up mucus.
In emphysema, lung tissue and the tiny air sacs at the end of the airways in the lungs are damaged. When these sacs are damaged, air is trapped in the lungs, leading to shortness of breath.
What causes COPD?
Nearly everyone with COPD (80% to 90%) has been a long-term cigarette smoker. Pipe, cigar and secondhand smoke are also risk factors. Symptoms typically arise after 20 years of smoking. Other lung irritants that are inhaled over a long period of time - such as industrial dust and chemical fumes - are also thought to cause COPD. Additional factors that may make individuals more likely to develop COPD include a family history of the disease, a low birth weight and repeated lung infections.
Who has COPD?
At least 14 million people in the United States have COPD. It affects both men and women and is most often diagnosed in middle-aged or older people.
What are its symptoms?
Symptoms of COPD can vary from person to person, but usually include shortness of breath, a chronic cough or wheezing. Since COPD develops slowly, it may be many years before a person notices symptoms.
If the COPD is caused primarily by chronic bronchitis, the first symptom will typically be a cough that lasts for months and produces mucus, while emphysema symptoms usually begin with shortness of breath and limited activity. Most patients have some degree of all of these symptoms.
COPD will continue to progress with time and with continued smoking. As it does, lung function worsens and shortness of breath increases during activity. Later, people with COPD may be out of breath with little or no activity and find it difficult to do everyday activities. At times, shortness of breath, wheezing and cough may suddenly get much worse. This is called a "COPD exacerbation." A COPD exacerbation can be mild to life-threatening.
How serious is COPD?
COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. In 2000 alone, COPD resulted in 1.5 million emergency room visits, 726,000 hospitalizations and 119,000 deaths. By 2020, it is projected to be the third leading cause of death for both males and females.
COPD Treatment
Find out more about COPD treatments at Temple.
Gerard Criner, MD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at Temple University School of Medicine, explains COPD and discusses treatment options:
Patient Testimonial
Mindy's mother chose the Temple Lung Center for her COPD treatment despite living closer to New York City than Philadelphia. "We chose Temple because they have many more amenities [and] treatment options for Mom," she said. Watch Mindy's video:
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