What are the symptoms of COPD?
People with COPD usually have one or more of the following symptoms:
- a cough that lasts a long time (longer than three months)
- a cough with mucus
- feeling short of breath, especially during physical activity
- respiratory infections (e.g., flu, acute bronchitis, pneumonia) that lasts longer than for others
- wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe)
- feeling tired
- losing weight without trying
What causes COPD?
Smoking causes most — but not all — cases of COPD. It is estimated that about 15 to 20% of those who smoke will develop COPD, but only about 3 in 4 cases of COPD will occur in those who smoked.
Long-term exposure to air pollution, frequent lung infections as a child and poorly managed childhood asthma are also associated with an increased risk of COPD.
Other causes of COPD include:
- exposure to occupational dusts and chemicals
- exposure to “biomass” smoke (for example, burning coal, wood or charcoal),
- exposure to second-hand smoke and
- inherited alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.