Health encyclopaedia

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a collection of lung diseases including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease, all of which can occur together.

COPD is one of the most common respiratory diseases in the UK.  It causes 300,000 deaths a year, which is about 200 times more than asthma. COPD occurs as a result of damage to the lungs. The main result of having damaged lungs, usually through smoking, is difficulty with breathing. These breathing problems gradually get worse and worse, resulting in decreased quality of life and even heart failure.

The symptoms of COPD can appear similar to those of asthma. However, whereas asthma can be controlled with treatment, COPD causes permanent damage to the lungs, from which they cannot recover.

• Symptoms
• Causes
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Prevention

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