Emphysema is a type of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Emphysema involves gradual damage of lung tissue, specifically thinning and destruction of the alveoli or air sacs.
What is COPD?
COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. “Progressive” means the disease gets worse over time. The disease is increasingly common, affecting millions of Americans, and is the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S. The good news is that COPD is often preventable and treatable.
COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of mucus, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms.
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Most people who have COPD smoke or used to smoke. Long-term exposure to other lung irritants—such as air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust—also may contribute to COPD.
Outlook
COPD is a major cause of disability. Millions of people are diagnosed with COPD. Many more people may have the disease and not even know it.
COPD develops slowly. Symptoms often worsen over time and can limit your ability to do routine activities. Severe COPD may prevent you from doing even basic activities like walking, cooking, or taking care of yourself.
Most of the time, COPD is diagnosed in middle-aged or older adults. The disease isn’t passed from person to person—you can’t catch it from someone else.
COPD has no cure yet, and doctors don’t know how to reverse the damage to the airways and lungs. However, treatments and lifestyle changes can help you feel better, stay more active, and slow the progress of the disease.
Preventing COPD
COPD Risk Factors
Smoking is the biggest risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It increases your risk of both developing and dying from COPD. Approximately 85 to 90 percent of COPD cases are caused by smoking. Female smokers are nearly 13 times as likely to die from COPD as women who have never smoked; male smokers are nearly 12 times as likely to die from COPD as men who have never smoked.
Other risk factors for COPD include:
- Exposure to air pollution
- Breathing secondhand smoke
- Working with chemicals, dust and fumes
- A genetic condition called Alpha-1 deficiency
- A history of childhood respiratory infection
5 Steps to Reduce Your Risk for COPD
If you are concerned about getting COPD, there are steps you can take to protect yourself.
- If you are a smoker, STOP SMOKING. Quitting smoking is the single most important thing a smoker can do to live a longer and healthier life. The American Lung Association has many programs to help you quit for good.
- If you don’t smoke, don’t start. Smoking causes COPD, lung cancer, heart disease and other cancers.
- Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke. Make your home smokefree. You’ll not only protect yourself, but your family too. Learn about your rights to a smokefree environment at work and in public places.
- Be aware of other dangers. Take care to protect yourself against chemicals, dust and fumes in your home and at work.
- Help fight for clean air. Work with others in your community to help clean up the air you and your family breathe.
The American Lung Association provides a variety of COPD management tools that can be found here: http://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/copd/living-with-copd/copd-management-tools.html
Content provided by the website for the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov), and the American Lung Association (http://www.lung.org/)