What Is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a condition that happens when the airways and/or lungs become damaged or inflamed, making it difficult for a person to breathe. There are three types of COPD: emphysema, chronic bronchitis and mixed COPD. Here’s a quick look at each type.

Emphysema

Emphysema affects the area that surrounds the small sacs within the lungs. Called the alveoli, they fill with air when you breathe in and empty out when you exhale. In a person with emphysema, the walls between the alveoli become inflamed. As a result, the sacs don't function properly, causing breathing problems

Chronic Bronchitis

Also called long-term bronchitis, this form of COPD happens when the lining of the airways remains inflamed over an extended period of time. The inflammation causes mucus to accumulate in the airways, interfering with breathing.

Mixed COPD

Someone with mixed COPD has both emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Many people diagnosed with COPD have the mixed type.

What Causes COPD?

COPD can be caused by environment, lifestyle choices, genetics and more. Some of the most common risk factors for COPD include:

• Smoking: Cigarette use is the most common cause of COPD. Smoking can cause irritation to the airways and damage the tissue surrounding the alveoli.
• Secondhand smoke: People who live in close proximity to someone who smokes indoors or work somewhere that people smoke are at an increased risk for COPD.
• Long-term exposure to irritants: Living in an area with severe air pollution or working around fumes from chemicals, dust and debris may contribute to COPD.
• Problems with lung growth and development: Children who have breathing problems, such as asthma or due to secondhand smoke, are more at risk for developing COPD later in life.
• Medical conditions: A history of certain conditions, such as HIV or tuberculosis, can increase the likelihood of developing COPD.
• Genetics: A genetic condition, alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency, has been linked to an increased risk for COPD.

What Are the Symptoms of COPD?

‍Some common symptoms of COPD include:

• Shortness of breath, which may worsen during physical activity
• Wheezing, whistling and other noises occurring when you breathe
• Wet cough with clear, white, green or yellow mucus
• Feeling of tightness or heaviness in your chest
• Fatigue
• Unintended weight loss
• Swelling in the legs, feet or ankles

Some symptoms of COPD are similar to those caused by respiratory infections, but they persist over time. If you have COPD, you may go through periods called exacerbations, when your symptoms become more intense.

‍How Is COPD Diagnosed?

‍To diagnose COPD, health care providers typically perform a physical exam and then order tests, such as:

• Spirometry, a lung function test that involves blowing into a tube
• Imaging tests, such as a chest X-ray or CT scan
• Arterial blood gas test, which involves drawing blood from an artery

Your health care provider may order additional tests to rule out other medical conditions as needed.

‍What Are the Treatments for COPD?

‍Unfortunately, medical science has yet to come up with a cure for COPD, but treatments can reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for many people with the disease. Some parts of a treatment plan for COPD may include:

• Medications: Health care providers often prescribe medications to ease inflammation. These may include inhalers, inhaled medications that you administer with a nebulizer and oral drugs.
• Oxygen therapy: You may need to use an oxygen tank and nasal tube or mask at home to increase your supply of oxygen.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation: This type of therapy combines supervised exercise with education to help you better manage your symptoms and support better lung health.
• Surgical procedures: In some cases, surgery on the lungs can improve symptoms for people with COPD.
• Smoking cessation: If you smoke, your health care provider may prescribe medications, recommend nicotine replacement therapy or suggest other interventions to help you quit.
• Lifestyle changes: Your health care provider may recommend you stay indoors or wear a mask when outdoor air quality is poor. They may also suggest you perform light cardiovascular exercise to strengthen your lungs.

How Can You Prevent COPD?

‍While some risk factors for COPD can’t be addressed, there are things that you can do to lower your risk, such as:

• Quitting smoking
• Avoiding places where people are smoking
• Wearing respiratory protection when working with chemicals or around dust
• Staying indoors as much as possible or wearing a mask when air pollution levels are high

Talk to Your Medical Provider About COPD

‍If you’re at risk for COPD or believe you may have the condition, make an appointment to see your health care provider soon. Residents of The Gardens at Collinwood senior living community can schedule transportation services to and from medical appointments in the Fort Collins, CO, area, to make visiting the doctor easy and convenient.