COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease at a Glance

Everyone knows someone who smokes. The odds that you know someone who has COPD is then rather high. COPD you're saying, I never heard of that before? Learn more in this brief article.

The disease is not a new one, but the term COPD is most likely not familiar to most of us. But you might as well get used to the term right away, because according to the WHO they reckons that within the year 2020 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease will be on of the most common causes of death in the world.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a chronic asthmatic disease distinguished by the permanent reduced lung capacity caused by changes in the airways and lungs.

Most people don't know that they are effected. Smoking is the most important cause of COPD. Between 15 - 20% of smokers are developing COPD.

Tobacco use is the number one cause of COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and quitting smoking is considered the best way to halt further damage.

It's estimated that as many as 10 million Americans suffer from COPD, with possibly as many as 14 million others who have it but have not been diagnosed. In the United States, it was the 4th leading cause of death in 2000 and projections put it at the 3rd leading cause by the year 2020.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease can not be cured, only treated. Stop smoking is the most important treatment.

COPD symptoms includes a strong cough, wheezing, tightness in the chest, recurrent respiratory infections, impaired exercise tolerance and phlegm production.

COPD is also tightly connected with the feeling of shame, because the cause is in most cases connected to heavy smoking. Coughing and heavy wheezing patients are often faced with the accusation that they have them self to thanks for the condition. Due to this, a lot of people with this diagnosis is ashamed and are trying to hide their problems.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients are more affected by a cold and flue than others. Infections can be prevented by getting rid of as much as possible of the phlegm in the airways, by drinking lots of water and trying to keep moving around.