What Is COPD?

COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The term is used to describe two conditions: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. These diseases are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States and are strongly associated with smoking. Asthma is sometimes considered a form of COPD, although it is not usually caused by smoking.

Types

• The two forms of COPD, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, have different symptoms although some overlap exists between the two groups. Healthcare workers sometimes refer to patients with chronic bronchitis as "blue bloaters" and those with emphysema as "pink puffers". These terms are used to remind doctors and nurses of the symptoms associated with each condition.

Effects

• Both chronic bronchitis and emphysema cause shortness of breath and increased effort when breathing. In addition, chronic bronchitis usually causes a frequent productive cough, wheezing, and is associated with congestive heart failure. A cough is not necessarily associated with emphysema and patients with this condition must work very hard to breathe. Wheezing may also be present in emphysema. A barrel-shaped chest is quite common in these patients.

Identification

• COPD may be suspected when a history of smoking or exposure to other lung irritants is combined with shortness of breath or other symptoms associated with the disease. The diagnosis can be confirmed using several tests to check lung function. A test called spirometry is used to measure the amount of air the lungs can hold and with how much force you can expel air from your lungs. Chest x-rays can show changes to the lungs associated with emphysema, but usually can't be used to diagnose chronic bronchitis. Blood tests are used to determine how well the lungs are working by measuring the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood.

Considerations

• There is no cure for COPD, but treatments can reduce the symptoms, slow or halt the progression of the disease, and lessen the impact of the disease on your life. The most important part of treatment for COPD is to quit smoking. If you have COPD and you continue to smoke, the disease will progress much more rapidly than it would otherwise. Because a person with COPD cannot expel air efficiently, cigarette smoke remains in the lungs longer and does more damage than it would to someone with normal lungs.

Prevention/Solution

• Three types of medications are used to treat COPD. Bronchodilators and inhaled steroids, which are also used to treat asthma, can reduce inflammation and open the airways. This makes breathing easier and reduces the frequency of coughing. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, which are very common in people who have chronic bronchitis. Surgery, including removal of damaged portions of the lungs and lung transplants, can be used to treat severe emphysema. Supplemental oxygen can also help if your lung function is severely impaired.