Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of lung diseases that block airflow and make it hard to breathe. It is caused by damage to the airways or other parts of the lung, and it gets worse over time.^{[1, 2]}

COPD is one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States and a major cause of disability. There is no cure, but it can be treated, and it can often be prevented — mainly by not smoking.^{[1, 2]}

Most people with COPD have a mixture of emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Common signs and symptoms include:^{[1, 2]}

Symptoms often develop slowly and worsen over time. Serious COPD can prevent people from walking, cooking or caring for themselves. People with COPD are also more likely to have other chronic diseases such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes, and depression or other mental health conditions.^{[1, 2]}

Tobacco smoke is the main cause of COPD in the United States; anyone who smokes or used to smoke has a higher risk. Other risk factors include secondhand smoke, environmental or workplace breathing hazards, a family history of COPD and asthma.^[1]

Worldwide, tobacco accounts for only about half of COPD cases, and air pollution plays a larger role in many lower-income countries.^[2]

CDC reports that COPD is more common among current or former smokers, people with a history of asthma, women, adults 65 and older, American Indian or Alaska Native people and people of more than one race, and people with less than a high school education. NHLBI notes higher rates in rural areas.^{[1, 2]}

The most important ways to lower risk are to stop smoking, avoid breathing cigarette smoke and limit time in places with bad air quality.^[1]

Early diagnosis allows COPD to be managed before it worsens. Treatment can include quitting smoking (the most important step for people who smoke), pulmonary rehabilitation, medicines, vaccines against lung infections such as flu, COVID-19 and pneumococcal disease, and oxygen therapy when blood oxygen is low.^[1]