Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

What is COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a group of serious lung diseases. COPD includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema and some types of asthma. In COPD, less air flows through the tubes (called airways) to and from the lungs, which makes it hard to breathe. Although there is no cure for COPD, it often can be prevented or managed.

COPD is a major cause of disability and death in the U.S.¹ Chronic lower respiratory diseases, which includes COPD, are the third leading cause of death in the U.S.² Of these diseases, COPD causes more than 95 percent of the deaths.¹

About 15.7 million adults living in the U.S. have been diagnosed with COPD, although millions more may have COPD and not know it.^1,3 In New York State, over 900,000 adults have been diagnosed with COPD.⁴

What causes COPD?

• Smoking – both current smoking and smoking in the past – is the main cause of COPD in men and women in the U.S.^5,6
• However, as many as 1 out of 4 Americans with COPD never smoked.⁶ Long-term exposure at home or work to air pollution (including secondhand smoke), chemical fumes and industrial dusts may cause COPD.^6,7
• Respiratory infections may play a role.⁸
• A rare, inherited disorder called alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) ⁹

How can COPD be prevented?

• Do not smoke. If you smoke, quit. For help:
  • Talk to your health care provider. Treatment, including medications, can double or triple your chances of quitting for good.¹³
  • For additional assistance and support, contact the New York State Smokers' Quitline at 1-866-NYQUITS (1-866-697-8487).
• Avoid exposure to air pollutants, including secondhand smoke.

What are the symptoms of COPD?

COPD develops slowly. Symptoms often worsen over time and limit the ability to do everyday activities.

Symptoms include:

• Chronic cough (often called "smokers' cough")
• Shortness of breath, especially with physical activity
• Coughing up a lot of phlegm (also called sputum – a mixture of saliva and mucus)
• Wheezing
• Chest tightness
• Extreme tiredness
• Frequent respiratory infections
• Difficulty taking a deep breath

If you have any of these symptoms or risk factors for COPD, talk with your health care provider. A simple breathing test (called spirometry) that measures lung function, chest X-rays or CT scans, and blood tests are used to detect COPD.¹⁰

Can COPD be treated?

Yes. Treatment and lifestyle changes may slow down the progression of the disease and help people with COPD feel better. However, the damage to the lungs is permanent and cannot be reversed.

That's why it's important to find out if you have COPD. If you do, your health care provider can work with you to find out what medicines and other treatments can help. You may be referred for pulmonary rehabilitation (rehab) and self-management training to learn more about the disease and the important role you have in managing it.¹¹

If you smoke, the most important thing you can do is quit. About 8 out of 10 deaths from COPD are caused by smoking.⁵ Quitting is hard for many people, and 39% of adults with COPD continue to smoke even after they are diagnosed.¹² Although many smokers say they want to quit on their own, health care providers can provide treatment that increases the chances of quitting for good.¹³

In addition to quitting smoking, other things that may increase your sense of well-being and reduce hospital admissions include:

• avoiding air pollutants (including secondhand smoke);
• healthy eating;
• exercise;
• taking medicines as prescribed;
• getting flu and pneumonia vaccines if your health care provider recommends it;
• receiving emotional support or counseling; and
• avoiding respiratory infections.^8,14,15

For More Information About COPD

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. New York State Adults, 2015. BRFSS Brief. Number 1715 (PDF)
• Tips From Former Smokers® - Smoking and COPD (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• What is COPD? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• COPD (American Lung Association)

Patient and Caregiver Support and Information

• Support and Community (online and local support groups for people living with COPD and other lung diseases and their caregivers, Freedom From Smoking® Group Clinics and other services in NYS) (American Lung Association)
• COPD – Learn More Breath Better Breathe Better® (National Institutes of Health)
• New York State Smokers' Quitline (New York State Tobacco Control Program, Roswell Park Cancer Institute)
• I'm Ready to Quit! (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

References