What is COPD ?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the fifth leading cause of death, and further increases in its prevalence and mortality can be predicted in the coming decades.

COPD is a common preventable and treatable disease, is characterized by persistent airflow limitation that is usually progressive and associated with an enhanced chronic inflammatory response in the airways and the lung to noxious particles or gases.

COPD is caused by a mixture of small airway disease (obstructive bronchiolitis) and parenchymal destruction (emphysema), the relative contributions of which vary from person to person.

The most commonly encountered risk factor for COPD is tobacco smoke, while other non-smoking risk factors include occupational dust particles, chemicals, bacteria & virus infection. Tobacco smoking continues to be a major cause of COPD.  Medical professionals point out that COPD is easy to be ignored due to the lack of symptoms in the initial stage, and it is not curable, hencequit smoking  is the best way to prevent COPD.

Symptoms of COPD include dyspnea, chronic cough, chronic sputum production. Severe patient would feel the shortage of breath when doing exercise or walk upstairs, when the situation gets worst, they would feel breathlessness even when they are walking or at rest.