COPD

Quit Smoking Now for Better Health

Nov 29, 2017 · · COPD
Smoking is linked to about 438,000 deaths each year in the United States, and 300,000 occur among people age 65 and older. Many of these deaths are cancer- or stroke-related, since smoking raises the risk for these conditions. A new study (Age & Aging, Aug. 17) also links current smoking … Read More

9. Tuberculosis

Nov 16, 2017 · · COPD
Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease that usually attacks the lungs. Before effective treatment became available in the 1940s, TB (which was formerly known as consumption) killed many people. In fact, in the early 1900s one out of every seven people in the United States died of TB. The disease … Read More

8. Pneumonia

Nov 16, 2017 · · COPD
Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs caused by bacteria, virus, or other infectious agent. The severity of pneumonia depends on several factors, including which germ is responsible and the strength of the individual’s immune system. When the immune system detects an infection, it produces inflammation, which triggers … Read More

7. Influenza

Nov 16, 2017 · · COPD
Influenza—commonly called “the flu”—is a viral infection of the respiratory system. It affects the lungs, as well as the whole body. Most people recognize the symptoms—fever, body aches, sore throat, stuffy nose, and headache. Sometimes the flu is confused with the common cold, but while some flu symptoms are the … Read More

6. Bronchiectasis

Nov 16, 2017 · · COPD
Bronchiectasis is a chronic obstructive airway disease in which the bronchi become damaged and easily collapse. Bronchi walls contain elastic and muscle fibers, which allow the bronchial tubes to expand and contract while maintaining their shape. In people with bronchiectasis, the elastic and muscular components in the walls of medium-sized … Read More

5. Asthma

Nov 16, 2017 · · COPD
Asthma is a chronic disease that often starts in childhood but can occur for the first time in adulthood, even later in life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 18.4 million adults and 6.2 million children in the United States have asthma. Asthma causes inflammation in … Read More

4. Treating COPD

Nov 15, 2017 · · COPD
Even though COPD cannot be cured, it can be treated. Treatment is aimed at reducing symptoms, preventing the disease from getting worse, improving the ability to exercise, preventing and treating complications, and preventing and treating exacerbations. For those with COPD who are current smokers, the most important first step is … Read More

3. Diagnosing COPD

Nov 15, 2017 · · COPD
COPD and asthma share many of the same symptoms (primarily coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath), which occur because normal airflow into and out of the lungs is obstructed. This can make it difficult to distinguish between the two conditions, especially in middle- and older-aged adults with a history of … Read More

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