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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has described Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) as a global epidemic; an estimated 210 million people have COPD worldwide and more than 3 million people died of the condition in 2005, which is equal to 5% of all deaths globally that year. Total deaths from COPD are projected to increase by more than 30% in the next 10 years without interventions to cut risks, particularly exposure to tobacco smoke.
What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an assortment of lung disorders that includes...
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What Are The Different Types Of COPD?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can result from chronic bronchitis or emphysema. Some people may also have COPD and asthma, which can worsen both conditions.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung condition that you either develop from external factors or inherit, and it lasts throughout your life.
Two conditions cause COPD: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Both affect your lungs in different ways.
Asthma is not considered a type of COPD, but it is a chronic respiratory condition. You can have asthma along with COPD. This is called asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS).
You may have COPD if you notice persistent, prolonged changes to your breathing. Symptoms can include:
These symptoms usually worsen over time without treatment. You can also develop conditions like irregular heartbeats, heart failure, and high blood pressure, especially without treatment.
Keep reading to learn more about the types and causes of COPD and how doctors diagnose and treat them.
Bronchitis occurs when the larger airways, or bronchi, in your lungs become swollen and inflamed. This typically causes symptoms like:
This condition makes it difficult for your lungs to bring air in and let it out.
Bronchitis can be acute (sudden and short-lasting), usually relating to a lung infection like the common cold. Or it can be chronic (long-lasting) and worsen over time.
Chronic bronchitis is the type of bronchitis that causes COPD. It develops when hair-like fibers called cilia disappear from the bronchial tubes, making it difficult to cough mucus from the lungs. There isn't a cure for chronic bronchitis.
Causes
Chronic bronchitis typically results from smoking cigarettes or contact with environmental factors that cause lung damage, like:
Diagnosis
To receive a diagnosis of chronic bronchitis, you must have a cough that produces phlegm or mucus for at least 3 months over the course of 2 years.
A doctor usually diagnoses chronic bronchitis using a breathing test called spirometry. This test measures how much air you exhale. You take deep breaths into a tube that a computer monitors to determine if you have COPD or another condition like asthma.
Treatment
Doctors may also recommend:
Emphysema causes damage to the lungs' air sacs, called alveoli. A person usually has about 300 million alveoli in the lungs.
With emphysema, damage destroys the walls of the alveoli and causes them to increase in size. When these air sacs break, they form larger pockets that can trap air in the damaged tissue. This makes it harder for the lungs to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream.
This can result in difficulty breathing because the lungs lose their elasticity. This damage cannot be reversed.
Causes
Emphysema has many of the same causes as chronic bronchitis, which include:
You can also inherit emphysema. Some people have an alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in their genes, which can cause emphysema.
Diagnosis
A doctor usually diagnoses emphysema by:
They may also perform other tests to get a better understanding of the damage.
Treatment
Treatment for emphysema usually involves medications and lifestyle changes to help manage your symptoms. This can include:
It can lead to more problematic respiratory symptoms, affect your quality of life, and increase the chances of hospitalization.
Causes
People with ACOS have both COPD and asthma.
While researchers still do not know exactly what causes asthma, multiple factors may play a role. Some of the factors are similar to the causes of COPD. They can include:
Diagnosis
If a doctor thinks you might have asthma and COPD, they may perform an exam and order tests to determine that you have both conditions. They may also ask additional questions about your symptoms, including when they appeared and any recent changes.
Your doctor may order an imaging test to see your lungs. This could be a chest X-ray or a CT scan.
Additional diagnostic tests may include monitoring your breath as you sleep or exercise.
Treatment
Treating ACOS may involve:
You may also need other types of therapy, depending on the severity of your symptoms, including:
There is no set age for a COPD screening. It's best to discuss symptoms with your doctor if you suspect you have COPD.
Your doctor may also be aware of your breathing difficulties and diagnose the condition, but don't be afraid to ask if you suspect you have this lung condition. Early treatment will prevent the condition from getting worse.
Keep in regular contact with your doctor following a diagnosis of COPD. Reach out if you experience side effects of medications, worsening symptoms, or new symptoms.
COPD is a serious and chronic lung condition. Two conditions can cause it: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Your doctor usually diagnoses the condition with a breathing test.
You will likely need to make lifestyle changes, in addition to taking prescribed medications, to prevent the condition from worsening.
It's best to talk with your doctor if you suspect COPD or if you have the condition and experience flaring symptoms.
8 Causes Of A Chronic Cough
Causes of a chronic cough, which persists for more than eight weeks, include air pollution, asthma or allergies, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Smoking tobacco and marijuana (pot) has been shown to cause a persistent cough.
Coughing is a bodily reflex that offers protection from germs or irritants. It can be concerning when you are coughing too much, especially if it lasts for a long time.
You may be coughing so much but not be sick because of asthma, allergens, and irritants. These common triggers of a cough are not caused by illness. Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the lungs. Triggers like certain foods or airborne irritants result in asthma attacks. These attacks include repeated episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and nighttime or early morning coughing. You do not need to have asthma to be affected by airborne irritants. Around 40–60 million people in the United States have allergic rhinitis (hay fever). Allergic rhinitis causes coughing and other symptoms like a stuffy nose and sneezing. Common triggers include pollen, dust, and pet dander. Problems with your lungs, like COPD, can lead to chronic cough. COPD is a term that covers two main conditions: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Emphysema damages the walls between many of the air sacs. This damage causes the air sacs to lose their shape and become floppy. The walls of the air sacs can also be destroyed. There are fewer and larger air sacs instead of many tiny ones, and the amount of gas exchange reduces. Chronic bronchitis causes the lining of the airways to be constantly irritated and inflamed. As a result, the lining becomes swollen. Thick mucus also forms in the airways, making breathing hard. Most people with COPD have both emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The severity of each disease varies from person to person. Symptoms other than coughing include wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest. Heartburn is the main symptom of GERD, which is a digestive disorder. Coughing is another common symptom, along with chest pain and wheezing. GERD affects people of all ages, from infants to older adults. People with asthma are at higher risk of developing the disorder. Asthma attacks can cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax. This lets stomach contents flow back into the esophagus. Various pollutants and irritants in the air can cause a persistent cough. Even short-term exposure to fumes can result in cough, phlegm, and lung irritation. Fumes can also worsen the symptoms of allergies or asthma. Mold spores found in and around homes may similarly cause wheezing and coughing if you inhale them. People who smoke often develop a cough. Your body's natural response to get rid of chemicals that enter the airways and lungs from tobacco use causes coughing. This chronic cough is often known as a smoker's cough. A smoker's cough may begin as a dry cough but later turn into a wet cough. A wet cough brings up phlegm. One study looked at the prevalence of chronic cough and possible causes in the general population. The researchers used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and included 119,280 adults older than 40 years old. They found that 47.7% of people with chronic cough were smokers. Coughing is one of the most common symptoms of colds, flu, and other respiratory tract infections. These infections interfere with normal breathing. Other symptoms, such as a stuffy nose and a fever, are telltale signs that a viral infection is causing your cough. A cough can outlast all other symptoms if the air passages in your lungs remain sensitive and inflamed. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors treat heart failure and high blood pressure. These medications often cause a persistent dry cough. One study found that one out of five people discontinued ACE inhibitor use due to side effects. The main side effect that people reported was a chronic cough. It's unclear why these drugs lead to long-term coughing. Pertussis (whooping cough) is a highly contagious respiratory illness. Bacteria called Bordetella pertussis cause whooping cough. Common symptoms include a slight fever, runny nose, and violent cough that can make breathing hard. Attempting to inhale air into the lungs between coughs can produce a distinctive, high-pitched whooping sound. Many people do not have a fever after the initial stage. The cough that accompanies whooping cough can persist for several weeks. Some people may be more at risk of developing a chronic cough than others. Risk factors include: Allergic rhinitis Asthma Older age Rhinosinusitis (sinus infection) Smoking A chronic cough can be dry or productive. A productive cough is also known as a wet cough, meaning it brings up mucus (phlegm). You may have other symptoms in addition to a cough if you have a respiratory tract infection, such as: Facial pressure or pain Fatigue Headache Low-grade fever Muscle pain Runny or stuffy nose Sneezing Sore throat Treating a chronic cough will depend on the underlying cause. The options available to you will be specific to your individual case. Identifying and avoiding allergens or taking allergy medications, for example, can resolve allergy-related chronic coughing. A healthcare provider may also advise treatments to manage the coughing if it cannot be resolved. Home Remedies A few home remedies exist to treat or manage a chronic cough. You may try the following: Avoid or limit exposure to allergens or irritants, including tobacco smoke. Consume cough drops, hard candies, or honey to decrease discomfort from a sore throat. Drink plenty of fluids to thin mucus that might make you cough. Use a humidifier to moisten the air in your home. A chronic cough may lead to other health problems if it's untreated. Complications may include: Bronchitis Chest pain Disrupted sleep and tiredness Pneumonia Social isolation Sore abdominal muscles Stress Urinary incontinence Consult a healthcare provider if you are concerned about coughing. You will also want to see a healthcare provider if you have a chronic cough that lasts for more than eight weeks. They can do an exam to help figure out the cause. Seek medical attention if you have: A fever Hemoptysis (coughing up blood) or coughing up thick phlegm or mucus that smells bad Difficulty breathing or swallowing Stridor, a high-pitched noise when you breathe in Violent coughing that starts quickly Worsening cough upon lying down There are different types of coughing, including a chronic cough that lasts for a long time. Chronic coughing can be due to allergies or air pollutants. Coughing a lot for long periods can also be a symptom of a condition, such as COPD and GERD, or a respiratory tract infection. It's important to get a chronic cough checked out if you have symptoms that last two months or longer. Only a healthcare provider can confirm what's going on with a long-lasting cough and recommend what can give you relief.Thanks for your feedback!
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