COPDWhat is COPD?
COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. COPD is a long-term lung disease usually caused by smoking.
COPD includes a few lung diseases: the most common are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Many people with COPD have both of these diseases.
COPD symptoms include shortness of breath, increased mucus and coughing. Some people with COPD say it feels like they're breathing through a straw.
COPD can't be cured, but it can be treated. With the right treatment, people with COPD can lead active lives and live for many years. People can learn strategies for living with COPD.
What does COPD do to my lungs?
COPD slowly damages your airways, the breathing tubes that go in and out of your lungs. People with COPD have swollen and partly blocked airways. They can also have damage in the air sacs at the tips of their airways.
COPD makes it hard to breathe because:
- the airways and air sacs in your lungs lose their shape and stretchiness
- the walls between many of the air sacs are destroyed
- the walls of the airways become thick and swollen
- cells in the airways make more mucus than usual, which blocks the airways.
Many people with COPD have emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
The emphysema part of COPD means you have damage to the air sacs at the tips of your airways. This makes it hard for your body to take in the oxygen it needs.
The chronic bronchitis part of COPD means your airways are irritated, red, and make too much sticky mucus. The walls of your airways are swollen and partly block the air from passing through.
What causes COPD?
Smoking cigarettes is the main cause of COPD in 80 - 90 % of cases.. Other things that can cause COPD are:
Who can get COPD?
Anyone who smokes or who smoked in the past can get COPD. People with Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, exposure to second-hand smoke or pollution, or many childhood chest infections, can also get it.
What are the symptoms of COPD?
The main symptoms of COPD are:
- being short of breath
- coughing up a lot of mucus (phelgm)
- feeling tired
- getting chest infections often (colds, flu, etc.)
Read more aboout COPD symptoms.
People usually notice COPD symptoms when they're in their 40s, 50s or 60s. Often people think their COPD symptoms - feeling short of breath, wheezing or coughing - are a normal part of getting older. They're not.
The sooner COPD is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat. That's why it's important to catch symptoms early.
If you are a smoker or a former smoker anf you're over 40, take the Canadian Lung Health Test to see if you're at risk for COPD.
Can COPD be prevented?
Yes. Most of the time, COPD can be prevented. Since most cases of COPD are caused by smoking, people can prevent COPD by not smoking. Smokers can reduce their chance of getting COPD by quitting as soon as possible - it's never too late to quit.
Can COPD be slowed down?
Yes. If you have COPD and smoke, you can slow down the COPD by quitting smoking. Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do to feel better.
How is COPD treated?
There is no cure for COPD, but it is possible to slow down the disease and treat the symptoms.
The main treatments for COPD are:
Read more about treatment for COPD.
How does COPD progress? What can I expect?
People with COPD eventually die from it, or from a complication of it. Some complications of COPD are:
- recurring chest infections, including pneumonia, the flu, etc.
- pulmonary hypertension: higher-than-usual blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs
- Cor pulmonale: enlargement and strain on the right side of the heart. This can lead to heart failure.
- irregular heart beat (arrhythmias)
- respiratory failure
People with COPD can live for a long time after they are diagnosed. If you have COPD, how long you'll live depends on many things:
- what age you were diagnosed at
- how bad your lung damage is
- whether you keep smoking, cut back or quit (cutting back is a start, quitting is best!)
- what kind of medical care and treatment you get
- what other health problems you might have
Getting the most out of life when you have COPD
If you have COPD and you smoke, it's important to quit smoking. Work with your doctor to get proper care and treatment for COPD, so that you'll live as long and as comfortable a life as possible.
It's also important to talk to your doctor and family about what kind of care you will need in future years, and what you can do now to get ready for the future.
Many people with COPD enjoy a happy and productive life despite their disease. You can read firsthand stories of Canadians living with COPD to learn how they get the most out of life.
COPD patient Darlene Morgan knows what it's like to face COPD. "I have truly made my COPD diagnosis a new beginning in my life. Two years ago I was on life support in hospital. Now I can enjoy a half-hour walk with my children, grandchildren and my dog. I feel better than I have in years," she says. Read more about Darlene's journey with COPD, and other patients' COPD stories.
How many people have COPD in Canada?
A recent report commissioned by The Lung Association found that 1.5 million Canadians say they've been diagnosed with COPD. Another 1.6 million Canadians report having COPD symptoms, though they haven't yet been diagnosed. Doctors and public health officials agree that COPD is dramatically under-diagnosed and under-treated.
COPD is on the rise. Already COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada1. Doctors project that COPD will be the third leading cause of death in Canada and around the world by the year 2020.
Get help and support for COPD
If you or someone you love has COPD, you may have many questions and concerns. The Lung Association is here to help. For information, support and advice on COPD, please call The Lung Association's free, confidential COPD Helpline: 1-866-717-COPD (2673). It's toll-free in Canada.
Learn more about COPD
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References
1. Deaths by selected grouped causes, sex and geography – Canada, Mortality, Summary List of Causes – 2003: Statistics Canada. Available from: www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/84F0209XIE/2003000/t001_en.pdf (PDF).
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