Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease that gets worse over time. It makes it hard to move air in and out of the lungs. Forms of COPD include:

Emphysema—air sacs of the lungs are damaged
Chronic bronchitis—airways of the lungs are damaged

These diseases often happen together. The causes and treatment are alike.

Normal Lung and Lung with Emphysema

Causes

COPD is caused by damage to the lungs from:

Cigarette smoking
Inhaling toxins or other irritants like wood smoke or dust and fumes at work
Alpha-1 antitrypsin gene deficiency (rare)

Risk Factors

Things that raise your chance of COPD are:

Smoking cigarettes or other forms of tobacco
Long-term exposure to secondhand or passive smoke (in any form)
Exposure to pollutants
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

Symptoms

Early problems are:

Coughing
Coughing up mucus from deep in the lungs
Wheezing
Shortness of breath with activity

As the disease gets worse, problems may be:

Shortness of breath that gets worse
A choking feeling when lying flat
Feeling very tired
Problems with focus
Weight loss
Breathing through pursed lips
Leaning forward to breathe better
Flare-ups of these symptoms

Diagnosis

You will be asked about your symptoms and past health. A physical exam will be done. It will focus on your breathing. This may be enough to make the diagnosis.

Lung function tests will be done to confirm the diagnosis. This can be done with spirometry to test the force of your breath.

Treatment

There is no cure for COPD. It will get worse over time. The goal of treatment is to ease symptoms and improve quality of life. A plan will be made with the care team.

A pulmonary rehabilitation program can be helpful. It offers education and tips to stay healthy. Other treatments are:

Smoking Cessation

Smoking will worsen COPD. There are a number of tools to help quit smoking, such as:

Behavior change programs
Medicine
Nicotine replacement therapy, such as gum, patches, or sprays

Medicine

Medicine may be given to:

Relax and open the airways
Decrease swelling and mucus
Treat flare ups

COPD increases the risk of problems from flu and pneumonia. Pneumonia and the flu vaccines are both recommended for people with COPD.

Oxygen

COPD makes it hard for oxygen to pass through the lungs and into the body. Oxygen therapy can increase the amount of oxygen that gets into the lungs and into the body. It can also ease breathing and improve energy.

Weight Management

Being overweight can make it harder to breathe. A weight loss plan may be needed.

Some find it hard to eat well with COPD. It can lead to unhealthy weight loss. Nutrition support may help.

Surgery or Procedures

Some people may need procedures or surgery to help the lungs work better. Options are:

Bronchoscopic lung reduction—a procedure to block off parts of the lung.
Lung volume reduction surgery—removing a section of the lung to let other parts of it expand
Lung transplant—replaces a damaged lung with a donor lung

Prevention

The risk of COPD can be lowered by:

Not smoking
Avoiding places where people smoke
Avoiding air pollution and other irritants

RESOURCES:

American Lung Association
http://www.lung.org

National Lung Health Education Program
http://www.nlhep.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Health Canada
http://www.canada.ca

Lung Association
http://www.lung.ca

References:

COPD. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/copd. Accessed January 9, 2021.

Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of COPD. GOLD 2019.

Living with COPD. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute website. Available at: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/copd. Accessed January 9, 2021.

Last reviewed January 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Kari Kassir, MD
Last Updated: 1/18/2021

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.