Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. “Progressive” means the disease gets worse over time. COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of mucus (a slimy substance), 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.
What is the Difference between COPD and asthma?
Asthma and COPD cause similar symptoms. However, they are different diseases.
- In COPD there is permanent damage to the airways. The narrowed airways are ‘fixed’, and so symptoms are chronic (persistent). Treatment to ‘open up the airways’ is limited.
- In asthma there is inflammation in the airways which causes muscles in the airways to constrict. This causes the airways to narrow. The symptoms tend to ‘come and go’, and vary in severity from time to time. Treatment to reduce inflammation and to ‘open up the airways’ usually works well.
Related Topics
- Patient with Emphysema
- What is Athma?
- What is Brochitis?
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