Doc Fio

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 caused by long-term exposure to irritating gases or particulate matter, most often from cigarette smoke. 

This disease is characterized by increasing breathlessness. 

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Signs and Symptoms

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Many people mistake their increased breathlessness and coughing as a normal part of aging.

In the early stages of the disease, you may not notice the symptoms.

COPD can develop for years without noticeable shortness of breath.

You begin to see the symptoms in the more developed stages of the disease.

While it can’t be cured, COPD can be managed and treated, so it's important to find out if you have COPD. 

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Symptoms of COPD can be different for each person, but the common symptoms are:

• Shortness of breath*

• Frequent coughing (with and without sputum or phlegm)**

• Increased breathlessness

• Feeling tired, especially when exercising or doing daily activities

• Wheezing

• Tightness in the chest

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Top Three Causes and Risk Factors

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1. Smoking

COPD most often occurs in people 40 years of age and older who have a history of smoking.

These may be individuals who are current or former smokers.

While not everybody who smokes gets COPD, most of the individuals who have COPD (about 90% of them) have smoked.

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However, only one in five smokers will get significant COPD.

Researchers are trying to find out why some smokers get COPD and others don’t. I

Stop smoking helps slow the disease. It makes treatment more effective.

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2. Environmental Factors

COPD can also occur in those who have had long term exposure and contact with harmful pollutants in the workplace.

Some of these harmful lung irritants include certain chemicals, dust, or fumes.

Heavy or long-term contact with secondhand smoke or other lung irritants in the home, such as organic cooking fuel, may also cause COPD. 

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3. Genetic Factors

Even if an individual has never smoked or been exposed to pollutants for an extended period of time, they can still develop COPD. Alpha-1 Antitrypsin related COPD is caused by a deficiency of the Alpha-1 Antitrypsin protein in the bloodstream. Alpha-1 Antitrypsin.

Without the Alpha-1 Antitrypsin protein, white blood cells begin to harm the lungs and lung deterioration occurs.

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Diagnosis

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Tests may include:

• Lung (pulmonary) function tests. Pulmonary function tests measure the amount of air you can inhale and exhale, and if your lungs are delivering enough oxygen to your blood.

     

     Spirometry can detect COPD even before you have symptoms of the   disease.

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• Chest X-ray. A chest X-ray can show emphysema, one of the main causes of COPD. An X-ray can also rule out other lung problems or heart failure. 

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• CT scan. A CT scan of your lungs can help detect emphysema and help 

     determine if you might benefit from surgery for COPD. 

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• Arterial blood gas analysis. This blood test measures how well your lungs are bringing oxygen into your blood and removing carbon dioxide.

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• Laboratory tests. Laboratory tests may be used to determine if you have the genetic disorder alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAt) deficiency, which may be the cause of some cases of COPD. This test may be done if you have a family history of COPD and develop COPD at a young age, such as under age 45.

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How can I get tested?

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Start by taking our 5-question RISK SCREENER, then talk to your doctor about taking a spirometry test.

Early screening can identify COPD before major loss of lung function occurs.

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Treatment

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A diagnosis of COPD is not the end of the world.

Most people have mild forms of the disease for which little therapy is needed other than smoking cessation.

Even for more advanced stages of disease, effective therapy is available that can control symptoms, reduce your risk of complications and exacerbations, and improve your ability to lead an active life.

1. Smoking cessation

The most essential step in any treatment plan for COPD is to stop smoking. It's the only way to keep COPD from getting worse — which can eventually reduce your ability to breathe. But quitting smoking isn't easy. 

Talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement products and medications that might help, as well as how to handle relapses.

Your doctor may also recommend a support group for people who want to quit smoking.

It's also a good idea to avoid secondhand smoke exposure whenever possible.

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2. Medications

Doctors use several kinds of medications to treat the symptoms and complications of COPD.

You may take some medications on a regular basis and others as needed.

Bronchodilators

These medications — which usually come in an inhaler — relax the muscles around your airways. This can help relieve coughing and shortness of breath and make breathing easier. 

Inhaled steroids

Inhaled corticosteroid medications can reduce airway inflammation and help prevent exacerbations. 

Combination inhalers

Some medications combine bronchodilators and inhaled steroids. 

Oral steroids

For people who have a moderate or severe acute exacerbation, short courses (for example, five days) of oral corticosteroids prevent further worsening of COPD. However, long-term use of these medications can have serious side effects, such as weight gain, diabetes, osteoporosis, cataracts and an increased risk of infection.

Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors

This drug decreases airway inflammation and relaxes the airways. Common side effects include diarrhea and weight loss.

Theophylline

This very inexpensive medication may help improve breathing and prevent exacerbations.

Antibiotics

Respiratory infections, such as acute bronchitis, pneumonia and influenza, can aggravate COPD symptoms. Antibiotics help treat acute exacerbations, but they aren't generally recommended for prevention. However, a recent study shows that the antibiotic azithromycin prevents exacerbations, but it isn't clear whether this is due to its antibiotic effect or its anti-inflammatory properties.​

 

Prevention

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The best ways to prevent COPD are to stop smoking and to avoid secondhand smoke and other lung irritants.

If you experience any COPD symptoms, getting treatment as soon as possible increases your outlook.

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