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The phrase may sound complicated at first, but it's actually pretty simple once you break it down.
COPD
Chronic = It's long term and doesn't go away
Obstructive = It limits the airflow from your lungs
Pulmonary = It deals with lungs and breathing
Disease = It's a health problem to be taken seriously
COPD is a serious lung disease that makes it harder and harder to breathe. While it can't be cured, it can be managed and treated, so it's important to find out if you have COPD. With the right diagnosis and treatment, you can take steps that could help you manage your COPD and breathe better.
With COPD, your lungs do not work as well as they once did. So you find it more and more difficult to breathe. As the disease progresses, your symptoms tend to get worse and more damage occurs in the lungs. This damage is permanent.
Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are COPD.
When you talk about chronic bronchitis or emphysema, it's important to realize that you are really talking about COPD. With COPD, you can have one or both of these conditions. Most patients have both.
