Description: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung

disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs. Symptoms include breathing difficulty,
cough, mucus (sputum) production and wheezing. It's typically caused by long-term exposure to
irritating gases or particulate matter, most often from cigarette smoke. People with COPD are at
increased risk of developing heart disease, lung cancer and a variety of other conditions.

Causes:
What Causes COPD?

Over time, exposure to irritants that damage your lungs and airways can cause chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The
main cause of COPD is smoking, but nonsmokers can get COPD too.

Smoking

About 85 to 90 percent of all COPD  cases are caused by cigarette smoking. When a cigarette
burns, it creates more than 7,000 chemicals, many of which are harmful. The toxins in cigarette
smoke weaken your lungs' defense against infections, narrow air passages, cause swelling in
air tubes and destroy air sacs all contributing factors for COPD.

Your Environment

What you breathe every day at work, home and outside can play a role in developing COPD.
Long-term exposure to air pollution, secondhand smoke and dust, fumes and chemicals (which
are often work-related) can cause COPD.

Alpha-1 Deficiency

A small number of people have a rare form of COPD called alpha-1 deficiency-related
emphysema. This form of COPD is caused by a genetic (inherited) condition that affects the
body's ability to produce a protein (Alpha-1) that protects the lungs.

COPD Risk Factors

Smoking is the biggest risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which
includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It increases your risk of both developing and dying
from COPD. Approximately 85 to 90 percent of COPD cases are caused by smoking. Female
smokers are nearly 13 times as likely to die from COPD as women who have never smoked;
male smokers are nearly 12 times as likely to die from COPD as men who have never smoked.

Other risk factors for COPD include:

 Exposure to air pollution

 Breathing secondhand smoke

 Working with chemicals, dust and fumes

 A genetic condition called Alpha-1 deficiency

 A history of childhood respiratory infectio

 Signs and symptoms of COPD may include:
 Shortness of breath, especially during physical activities.
 Wheezing.
 Chest tightness.
 A chronic cough that may produce mucus (sputum) that may be clear, white, yellow or
greenish.
 Frequent respiratory infections.
 Lack of energy.
 Unintended weight loss (in later stages)

Diagnosis
The most effective and common method for diagnosing COPD is spirometry. It's also known as
a pulmonary function test or PFT. This easy, painless test measures lung function and capacity.
To perform this test, you'll exhale as forcefully as possible into a tube connected to the
spirometer, a small machine.

Prevent
How Can COPD Be Prevented?
The best way to prevent COPD is to never start smoking, and if you smoke, quit. Talk with your
doctor about programs and products that can help you quit. Also, stay away from secondhand
smoke, which is smoke from burning tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes

Cure and Treatment

There's currently no cure for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but treatment can
help slow the progression of the condition and control the symptoms.
Treatments include:
Stopping smoking – if you have COPD and you smoke, this is the most important thing you can
do

Inhalers and tablets – to help make breathing easier

Pulmonary Rehabilitation – a specialized program of exercise and education

Surgery or a Lung transplant – although this is only an option for a very small number of people