COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. The term progressive signifies that the disease gets worse over time. This refers to a chronic bronchitis and emphysema, a pair of two commonly co-existing diseases of the lungs in which the airways become narrowed.
COPD can cause:
1) coughing that produces large amounts of mucus
2) wheezing
3) shortness of breath
4) chest tightness
Causes of COPD
1) Cigarette smoking
2) Long-term exposure to other lung irritants, such as air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust
Common Signs
1) tachypnea, a rapid breathing rate
2) wheezing sounds or crackles in the lungs heard through a stethoscope
3) breathing out taking a longer time than breathing in
4) enlargement of the chest, particularly the front-to-back distance (hyperinflation)
5) active use of muscles in the neck to help with breathing
6) breathing through pursed lips
7) increased anteroposterior to lateral ratio of the chest (i.e. barrel chest).
In COPD, less air flows in and out of the airways because of one or more of the following:
1) The airways and air sacs lose their elastic quality.
2) The walls between many of the air sacs are destroyed.
3) The walls of the airways become thick and inflamed (swollen).
4) The airways make more mucus than usual, which tends to clog the airways.
COPD is also known as chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD), chronic obstructive airway disease (COAD), chronic airflow limitation (CAL) and chronic obstructive respiratory disease.
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