Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an umbrella term that describes a progressive reduction of airflow in and out of the lungs caused by bronchitis and emphysema. Smoking is the major cause of the disease. COPD is generally considered a disease of older adults as it is most commonly diagnosed in people over 60. In the United States about 10 million people have been diagnosed with some form of COPD, and as many as 24 million more may be undiagnosed. COPD is the fourth most common cause of death in the U.S.

What is COPD?
COPD is a group of long-term lung diseases that make it hard to breathe. COPD is often a mix of two diseases – chronic bronchitis and emphesyma. In COPD, airflow through the passages leading to and within the lungs is partially blocked, resulting in difficulty breathing. COPD develops over many years, sometimes 10 to 30 years, and as the disease gets worse, it may become hard to carry out everyday activities. COPD is sometimes confused with asthma.

Causes
80-90% of people with COPD have been long-term smokers. At least 10-15% of long term smokers develop COPD. Some studies have shown that 50% of smokers over 45 will develop COPD. Another cause of COPD is exposure to indoor and outdoor pollutants, especially toxic or chemical pollutants found in some jobs. A recent study suggests that 19.2 % of those 
affected by COPD can attribute it in part to work related exposure. There is also a rare genetic condition called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency which can cause COPD.

If you are over 40 with a history of smoking, breathing problems, or exposure to secondhand smoke, workplace chemicals or high levels of air pollution, you may be at risk. Check out Boehringer Ingelheim’s COPD screening survey to see if you’re at risk. Contact your doctor and inform him/her of your concerns for a check-up.

Symptoms
Common symptoms include chronic cough, chronic cough with mucus, difficulty breathing, repeated episodes of acute bronchitis and persistant shortness of breath that gets worse, occurs during excersize, and worsens with respiratory infections.

Treatments
This disease can not be cured but it can be managed. Your doctor will decide which treatment is best for you depending on how sever your symptoms are. The sooner your begin treatment, the better you will be able to manage this disease. To help control your symptoms, avoid tobacco smoke and other air pollutants. If your job includes working with chemicals, consider changing jobs or do whatever you can (like wearing a mask) to protect yourself. Your doctor will also consider the following options for you: surgery, oxygen treatment, ventilation devices, certain medications, and pulmonary therapy.