What Is COPD?

About COPD

COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a term used to describe chronic lung diseases, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Emphysema

Emphysema is a condition where the walls between many of the air sacs in the lungs become damaged.
The damage can also destroy the walls of the air sacs, leading to fewer and larger air sacs instead of many tiny ones.

Chronic Bronchitis

Chronic bronchitis occurs when your airways are inflamed and there is a buildup of mucus.

This can lead to:

  • Frequent coughing

  • Coughing up mucus

  • Wheezing

  • Whistling/Squeaky sound when you breath

  • Shortness of breath

  • Tightness in your chest

What is a COPD flare-up?

A COPD flare-up, also known as an exacerbation, is when symptoms suddenly get worse. COPD flare-ups are usually caused by an infection in the lungs, like a cold, flu, or pneumonia. Other triggers may include cigarette smoke, dust and chemicals in the air, extreme temperatures, humidity, or weather changes.

In some cases, the cause is never known. No matter what the cause is, these symptoms are worse than your usual symptoms and may last 2 days or more.

Flare-ups can be classified as:

  • MILD

  • MODERATE

  • SEVERE

MILD

Treated with rescue inhaler/short-acting bronchodilator only

MODERATE

Treated with rescue inhaler/short-acting bronchodilator plus oral corticosteroids and/or antibiotics

SEVERE

Having to visit the emergency room or be hospitalized. May be associated with acute respiratory failure

Causes, Symptoms, and Flare-Ups

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Causes and Risk Factors

Causes and risk factors

COPD causes and risk factors include:

Smoking

Exposure to air pollution

Breathing secondhand smoke

Working with chemicals, dust, and fumes

A genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

A history of childhood respiratory infections

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Common COPD Symptoms

Common COPD symptoms

Common COPD symptoms include:

Increased shortness of breath/breathlessness

Frequent coughing (with and without mucus)

Wheezing

Tightness in the chest

Unusual tiredness

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COPD Flare-Up Symptoms

Common symptoms of flare-ups

Flare-ups may be caused by:

An infection in the lungs, like a cold, flu, or pneumonia

Cigarette smoke

Dust and/or airborne chemicals

Extreme temperatures

Humidity

Weather changes

It’s important to manage COPD flare-ups because they may cause permanent lung damage.

The 4 Stages of COPD

Your doctor will periodically assess your COPD to determine its grade and severity. How fast COPD progresses can vary from person to person.

Using specific lung function tests to determine how well you can breathe, COPD can be classified into one of 4 grades. Each grade is calculated based on the results of two breathing tests (spirometry), as well as other factors such as your age, sex, and ethnicity. The higher the grade (grade 4 being the highest), the more advanced your COPD is.

FEV1 stands for forced expiratory volume in one second. FEV1 measures how much air you can exhale from your lungs in 1 second.

Find out how much you know about COPD flare-ups

Take a COPD Quiz

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