Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a medical situation in which emphysema and chronic bronchitis both are present in the patient's lungs. Both conditions lead to airway narrowing, and when they appear together there is a limitation of air flow both to and from the person's lungs. The condition is often referred to as COPD for short.

Symptoms

Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is one of the main symptoms that can show up in people with COPD. This occurs due to the limited air flow. Other medical signs and symptoms can also be present. For instance, there might be a chronic cough as well as production of sputum. The individual may have an increased breathing rate. It may take longer for the person to breathe out than it does for him to breath air in. One of the other possibilities is that the person might have tightness in the chest.

Causes

There are various possible causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The main situation that is a risk factor for COPD is chronic smoking of tobacco products. Somewhere between 80 and 90 percent of cases of this disease in the United States are thought to be due to smoking. Exposure to certain things in the workplace, either intensely or over a long period, can also lead to COPD. Certain kinds of air pollution may also lead to this condition. Other risk factors, or potential ones, include genetics, repeated lung infections, and perhaps a diet that contains a high level of cured meats. It is thought that there may be an autoimmune nature to the disease, which is brought on by a lifetime of smoking.

Diagnosis

A doctor or medical professional is involved in the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The condition is rare in patients under the age of 40. Certain symptoms and exposures to things that are risk factors may lead to the consideration of the diagnosis in a person, but they alone do not necessarily indicate that he has COPD. Spirometry, a type of pulmonary function test, is used to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment

Although there is no known cure for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, there are methods that are used to manage the condition. Stopping smoking is one possibility. Staying indoors at times when the air pollution is higher may be beneficial. Certain medications may be used. These are just some of the possible treatment methods. Please keep in mind that you should not select a treatment based on what you read here, but rather go with information from a professional, such as a doctor.