Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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Bronchitis	COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder)	Emphysema	Quitting smoking
Respiratory system	Smoking and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder)	Spirometry

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of lung diseases that cause swelling of the airways.  Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the most common forms of COPD.

COPD; Chronic obstructive airway disease; Chronic obstructive lung disease

The leading cause of COPD is smoking. Between 15% and 20% of long-term smokers will develop COPD. Prolonged tobacco use causes lung inflammation and destroys air sacs in the lungs. (In rare cases, an enzyme deficiency called alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency can cause emphysema in non-smokers.)

Other risk factors for COPD are exposure to secondhand smoke, male gender, and working or living in a polluted environment.

Review Date: 05/03/2006
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.