Copd: Difference between revisions

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~~What is COPD?~~

__TOC__

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, describes a group of lung conditions that make it difficult to empty air out of the lungs because the airways have become narrowed.On this page:

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===What does COPD stand for?===

~~''''''~~

'''Chronic'''= it’s a long-term condition and does not go away

'''Obstructive'''= your airways are narrowed, so it’s harder to breathe out quickly and air gets trapped in your chest

'''Pulmonary'''= it affects your lungs

'''Chronic~~~~'''= it’s a long-term condition and does not go away

'''Disease'''= it’s a medical condition Two of these lung conditions are long-term (or chronic) bronchitis and [https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/copd/emphysema emphysema], which can often occur together.

* '''Bronchitis'''means the airways are inflamed and narrowed. People with bronchitis often produce sputum, or phlegm.

* '''Emphysema'''affects the tiny air sacs at the end of the airways in your lungs, where oxygen is taken up into your bloodstream. They break down and the lungs become baggy and full of bigger holes which trap air.

'''Obstructive~~~~'''= your airways are narrowed, so it’s harder to breathe out quickly and air gets trapped in your chest

'''Pulmonary~~~~'''= it affects your lungs

'''Disease~~~~'''= it’s a medical ~~conditionTwo~~ of these lung conditions are long-term (or chronic) bronchitis and~~~~[https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/copd/emphysema emphysema], which can often occur together.

* '''Bronchitis~~~~'''means the airways are inflamed and narrowed. People with bronchitis often produce sputum, or phlegm.

* '''Emphysema~~~~'''affects the tiny air sacs at the end of the airways in your lungs, where oxygen is taken up into your bloodstream. They break down and the lungs become baggy and full of bigger holes which trap air.

These conditions narrow the airways. This makes it harder to move air in and out as you breathe, and your lungs are less able to take in oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide.

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* the airway lining becomes inflamed and swollen

There are~~~~[https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/copd/treatment treatments]to help you breathe more easily and help you keep active, so it’s important to get an early diagnosis.

There are[https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/copd/treatment treatments]to help you breathe more easily and help you keep active, so it’s important to get an early diagnosis.

What causes COPD?COPD usually develops because of long-term damage to your lungs from breathing in a harmful substance, usually cigarette smoke, as well as smoke from other sources and air pollution. Jobs where people are exposed to dust, fumes and chemicals can also contribute to developing COPD.

You’re most likely to develop COPD if you’re over 35 and are, or have been, a smoker or had chest problems as a child.

Some people are more affected than others by breathing in noxious materials. COPD does seem to run in families, so if your parents had chest problems then your own risk is higher.

A rare genetic condition called[https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficiency alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency]makes people very susceptible to developing COPD at a young age.

~~A rare genetic condition called~~[https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/~~alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficiency alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency~~]~~makes~~ people ~~very susceptible~~ to ~~developing~~ COPD ~~at a young age~~.

===What’s the difference between COPD and asthma?===

With COPD, your airways have become narrowed permanently – inhaled medication can help to open them up to some extent. With [https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/asthma asthma], the narrowing of your airways comes and goes, often when you’re exposed to a trigger – something that irritates your airways – such as dust, pollen or tobacco smoke. Inhaled medication can open your airways fully, prevent symptoms and relieve symptoms by relaxing your airways.So, if your breathlessness and other symptoms are much better on some days than others, or if you often wake up in the night feeling wheezy, it may be that you have asthma.Because the symptoms are similar and because people who have asthma as children can develop COPD in later life, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the two conditions. Some people have both COPD and asthma.

:

=What are the symptoms of COPD?=

=~~==What’s the difference between COPD and asthma?===~~

With COPD, your airways have become narrowed permanently – inhaled medication can help to open them up to some extent. With[https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/asthma asthma], the narrowing of your airways comes and goes, often when you’re exposed to a trigger – something that irritates your airways – such as dust, pollen or tobacco smoke. Inhaled medication can open your airways fully, prevent symptoms and relieve symptoms by relaxing your airways.So, if your breathlessness and other symptoms are much better on some days than others, or if you often wake up in the night feeling wheezy, it may be that you have asthma.Because the symptoms are similar and because people who have asthma as children can develop COPD in later life, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the two conditions. Some people have both COPD and asthma.What are the symptoms of COPD?

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-What is COPD?
+__TOC__
 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, describes a group of lung conditions that make it difficult to empty air out of the lungs because the airways have become narrowed.On this page:
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ===What does COPD stand for?===
-''''''
+'''Chronic'''= it’s a long-term condition and does not go away
+'''Obstructive'''= your airways are narrowed, so it’s harder to breathe out quickly and air gets trapped in your chest
+'''Pulmonary'''= it affects your lungs
-'''Chronic<span></span>'''= it’s a long-term condition and does not go away
+'''Disease'''= it’s a medical condition Two of these lung conditions are long-term (or chronic) bronchitis and [https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/copd/emphysema emphysema], which can often occur together.
+* '''Bronchitis'''means the airways are inflamed and narrowed. People with bronchitis often produce sputum, or phlegm.
+* '''Emphysema'''affects the tiny air sacs at the end of the airways in your lungs, where oxygen is taken up into your bloodstream. They break down and the lungs become baggy and full of bigger holes which trap air.
-'''Obstructive<span></span>'''= your airways are narrowed, so it’s harder to breathe out quickly and air gets trapped in your chest
-'''Pulmonary<span></span>'''= it affects your lungs
-'''Disease<span></span>'''= it’s a medical conditionTwo of these lung conditions are long-term (or chronic) bronchitis and<span></span>[https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/copd/emphysema emphysema], which can often occur together.
-* '''Bronchitis<span></span>'''means the airways are inflamed and narrowed. People with bronchitis often produce sputum, or phlegm.
-* '''Emphysema<span></span>'''affects the tiny air sacs at the end of the airways in your lungs, where oxygen is taken up into your bloodstream. They break down and the lungs become baggy and full of bigger holes which trap air.
 These conditions narrow the airways. This makes it harder to move air in and out as you breathe, and your lungs are less able to take in oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide.
@@ Line 34: / Line 25: @@
 * the airway lining becomes inflamed and swollen
-There are<span></span>[https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/copd/treatment treatments]to help you breathe more easily and help you keep active, so it’s important to get an early diagnosis.
+There are[https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/copd/treatment treatments]to help you breathe more easily and help you keep active, so it’s important to get an early diagnosis.
 What causes COPD?COPD usually develops because of long-term damage to your lungs from breathing in a harmful substance, usually cigarette smoke, as well as smoke from other sources and air pollution. Jobs where people are exposed to dust, fumes and chemicals can also contribute to developing COPD.
 You’re most likely to develop COPD if you’re over 35 and are, or have been, a smoker or had chest problems as a child.
 Some people are more affected than others by breathing in noxious materials. COPD does seem to run in families, so if your parents had chest problems then your own risk is higher.
+A rare genetic condition called<span></span>[https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficiency alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency]<span></span>makes people very susceptible to developing COPD at a young age.
-A rare genetic condition called<span></span>[https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficiency alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency]<span></span>makes people very susceptible to developing COPD at a young age.
+===What’s the difference between COPD and asthma?===
+With COPD, your airways have become narrowed permanently – inhaled medication can help to open them up to some extent. With [https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/asthma asthma], the narrowing of your airways comes and goes, often when you’re exposed to a trigger – something that irritates your airways – such as dust, pollen or tobacco smoke. Inhaled medication can open your airways fully, prevent symptoms and relieve symptoms by relaxing your airways.So, if your breathlessness and other symptoms are much better on some days than others, or if you often wake up in the night feeling wheezy, it may be that you have asthma.Because the symptoms are similar and because people who have asthma as children can develop COPD in later life, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the two conditions. Some people have both COPD and asthma.
-:
+=What are the symptoms of COPD?=
-===What’s the difference between COPD and asthma?===
-With COPD, your airways have become narrowed permanently – inhaled medication can help to open them up to some extent. With<span></span>[https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/asthma asthma], the narrowing of your airways comes and goes, often when you’re exposed to a trigger – something that irritates your airways – such as dust, pollen or tobacco smoke. Inhaled medication can open your airways fully, prevent symptoms and relieve symptoms by relaxing your airways.So, if your breathlessness and other symptoms are much better on some days than others, or if you often wake up in the night feeling wheezy, it may be that you have asthma.Because the symptoms are similar and because people who have asthma as children can develop COPD in later life, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the two conditions. Some people have both COPD and asthma.What are the symptoms of COPD?