COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes two lung conditions—chronic bronchitis and emphysema. More than 12 million people in the United States have COPD (and COPD is the fourth leading cause of death), but another 12 million have COPD without knowing it.

COPD Journey

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

COPD symptoms are sometimes dismissed as a 'smoker's cough.' (About 50% to 90% of COPD cases are thought to be due to smoking.) The more you know about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of COPD, the better your chances of preventing COPD.

COPD News

Soft Drinks May Raise Odds for Respiratory Ills: Study
TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) – Drinking a lot of soft drinks may increase the risk for asthma and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study suggests. Nearly 17,000 people aged 16 and older in South Australia were asked about their consumption of soft drinks such as Coke, flavored mineral water, lemonade, Powerade and Gatorade. More than [...]
Study Maps Path From Smoking to Emphysema in Mice
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 18 (HealthDay News) — Smoking activates certain genes and portions of the immune system, which in turn causes inflammation that leads to emphysema. So say researchers who mapped the destructive path from smoking to the debilitating lung disease in mice. “Previously, emphysema was thought to be a nonspecific injurious response to long-term smoke exposure,” study [...]
Vitamin D Won’t Help Most COPD Patients: Study
By Steven ReinbergHealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, Jan. 17 (HealthDay News) — Vitamin D supplements don’t seem to help most patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a new study by Belgian investigators. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the two main forms of COPD, and many sufferers have both. The condition makes it hard for people [...]
Smog Tied to Raised Risk of Chronic Illness in Black Women
FRIDAY, Jan. 6 (HealthDay News) — Air pollution may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure in black American women, a new study suggests. Previous research has shown that air pollution boosts the chances of acute cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attack, but it hasn’t been known whether it also [...]
As Gastric Banding Increases, So May Complications
THURSDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) — Use of gastric bands as a weight-loss aid is increasing, and doctors need to be alert for potential complications years later, say the authors of a new case report. The report details problems that developed two years after a 49-year-old British woman underwent the weight-loss procedure. She sought treatment at [...]