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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

COPD; Chronic obstructive airway disease; Chronic respiratory insufficiency

Definition:

A group of lung diseases characterized by limited airflow through the airways with variable degrees of air sack enlargement and lung tissue destruction. The diseases emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the most common forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Causes and Risks

The leading cause of COPD is smoking, which can lead to the two most common forms of this disease, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Prolonged tobacco use causes lung inflammation and variable degrees of air sack (alveoli) destruction. This leads to inflamed and narrowed airways (chronic bronchitis); or permanently enlarged air sacks of the lung with reduced lung elasticity (emphysema). 15% of long-term smokers will develop COPD. Rarely, an enzyme deficiency called alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency can cause emphysema in non-smokers.

After tobacco-use, other risk factors for COPD are passive smoking (exposure of non-smokers to cigarette smoke from others), male gender, and working in a polluted environment.

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