What is COPD?

What is COPD? Click here to learn more

For those who wonder what is COPD, the answer is as follows. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (which can also be known in certain professional circles as COLD– Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) is an umbrella term which describes ailments of the lungs which include many of the same symptoms. These symptoms can include (but are not limited to) progressive restrictions of the ability of air to flow in and out of the lungs, with increasing shortness of breath as the disease makes it progress.

COPD is an extremely insidious and “hard to catch” disease. Victims can suffer some of its early symptoms for several years without realizing what is COPD, and the disease is frequently diagnosed too late, after some lung capacity has already been irretrievably lost. It is, unfortunately, very possible (and likely) for a victim to suffer from the early stages of COPD without even knowing it (thinking they suffer merely from a common cold or hacking cough, perhaps a flu virus) until some of its more generally known symptoms appear.

The two main conditions of impaired breathing ability that make up what is COPD are emphysema and chronic asthmatic bronchitis. In both cases of this type, the damage that is done to your airway passages will eventually severely interfere with the normal regular exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your lungs, leading to the sufferer being slowly poisoned to death through their inability to expel the harmful buildup of carbon dioxide from their system.

It should be immediately noted that COPD has been proven to be a leading cause of illness and premature death all over the world. COPD was ranked as the sixth leading cause of death at the turn of the century. COPD is further projected to be the fourth leading cause of death worldwide by 2030, which will be due chiefly to an increase in smoking among the population of many less developed countries. At present, the cost of controlling what is COPD in the United States is estimated at $42.6 billion annually, due to health care costs and the loss of economic revenue due to workers becoming too sick to perform their jobs.

Most of the time, COPD seems to be caused by long term smoking. Thus, the risk of developing what is COPD can be prevented altogether, or greatly lessened, by never smoking, or quitting as soon as possible after you have started. The damage to your lungs caused by smoking can never be reversed. Therefore, treatment of what is COPD will generally focus on controlling your existing symptoms, and attempting to control the present damage and prevent further deterioration.

Although symptoms of what is COPD can be controlled if caught in time and arrested by prompt professional medical care, the disease itself is not curable or reversible at the present time. It is therefore highly recommended to all who read this that they avoid smoking, as well as second hand smoke, at all costs. Report any suspicious, lingering symptoms to your doctor, and do not take chances with your health.