COPD: MedlinePlus

COPD: MedlinePlus



A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of COPD?

02/28/2014 12:10 PM EST

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Related MedlinePlus Page: COPD

How Can COPD Be Prevented?

02/28/2014 12:10 PM EST

Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Related MedlinePlus Page: COPD

A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) makes it hard for you to breathe. The two main types are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The main cause of COPD is long-term exposure to substances that irritate and damage the lungs. This is usually cigarette smoke. Air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust can also cause it.

At first, COPD may cause no symptoms or only mild symptoms. As the disease gets worse, symptoms usually become more severe. They include

• A cough that produces a lot of mucus
• Shortness of breath, especially with physical activity
• Wheezing
• Chest tightness

Doctors use lung function tests, imaging tests, and blood tests to diagnose COPD. There is no cure. Treatments may relieve symptoms. They include medicines, oxygen therapy, surgery, or a lung transplant. Quitting smoking is the most important step you can take to treat COPD.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA  

• Blood gases
• Bronchoscopy
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - adults - discharge
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - control drugs
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - quick-relief drugs
• COPD - what to ask your doctor
• How to breathe when you are short of breath
• How to use an inhaler - no spacer
• How to use an inhaler - with spacer
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Related Topics

• Asthma
• Breathing Problems
• Chronic Bronchitis
• Emphysema
• Oxygen Therapy
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Lungs and Breathing
• Seniors

National Institutes of Health

• The primary NIH organization for research on COPD is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

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• Start Here

  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)(American Academy of Family Physicians)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)(Patient Education Institute)
  • Also available in Spanish

• Overviews

  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)(American Thoracic Society) - PDF
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • COPD: Learn More, Breathe Better(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Understanding COPD(American Lung Association)

• Latest News

  • 2-Mile Daily Walk Might Help Fight COPD(03/06/2014, HealthDay)

• Diagnosis/Symptoms

  • Blood Gases Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
  •  Breathlessness(American Thoracic Society) - PDF
  • Bronchoscopy(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • How Is COPD Diagnosed?(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Signs and Symptoms of COPD(American Thoracic Society) - PDF
  • Spirometry(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Stages of COPD(American Association for Respiratory Care) - PDF
  • What Are Lung Function Tests?(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  •  What Are the Signs and Symptoms of COPD?(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

• Treatment

  • COPD Medications(American Lung Association)
  • How Is COPD Treated?(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • How to Use a Metered Dose Inhaler(American Academy of Family Physicians)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Medicines Used to Treat COPD(American Thoracic Society) - PDF
  • Surgery for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(American Thoracic Society) - PDF
  • Return to top

• Prevention/Screening

  • COPD: Are You at Risk?(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDF
  •  How Can COPD Be Prevented?(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Protecting Your Lungs(American Lung Association)
  • Return to top

• Nutrition

  • Living with COPD: Nutrition(American Lung Association)
  • Return to top

• Rehabilitation/Recovery

  • MedlinePlus: Pulmonary Rehabilitation(National Library of Medicine)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Return to top

• Coping

  • COPD Emotional Management(National Jewish Health)
  • Return to top

• Disease Management

  • Exercise for Persons with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)(American College of Sports Medicine) - PDF
  • Living Well with COPD: Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema(American College of Chest Physicians) - PDF
  • Living with COPD(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Pulse Oximetry(American Thoracic Society) - PDF
  • Supplemental Oxygen (Oxygen Therapy)(American Lung Association)
  • Techniques to Bring Up Mucus(National Jewish Health)
  • Return to top

• Specific Conditions

  • What Is an Exacerbation?(American Thoracic Society)
  • Return to top

• Related Issues

  • Asthma and COPD: Differences and Similarities(American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology)
  • Sleep Problems in Asthma and COPD(American Thoracic Society) - PDF
  • Traveling with Portable Oxygen(American College of Chest Physicians) - PDF
  • Return to top

• Pictures & Photographs

  • Metered dose inhaler use - slideshow
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Nebulizer use - slideshow
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Peak flow meter use - slideshow
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Spacer use - slideshow
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Return to top

• Health Check Tools

  • COPD Quiz(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Return to top

• Tutorials

  • COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)(Patient Education Institute)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Return to top

• Videos

  • Diagnosing COPD(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Risk Factors for COPD(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • What Is COPD?(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Return to top

• Anatomy/Physiology

  • Anatomy and Function of the Normal Lung(American Thoracic Society)
  • What Are the Lungs?(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Return to top

• Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Lung Diseases, Obstructive(National Institutes of Health)
  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive(National Institutes of Health)
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• Research

  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • Taking Her Breath Away: The Rise of COPD in Women(American Lung Association) -PDF
  • Return to top

• Journal Articles

  References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
  • Article: Ask the doctor. My husband was just diagnosed with COPD....
  • Article: Breath of fresh air.
  • Article: Personal vaccination within COPD care.
  • Article: Successful patient self-management of COPD requires hands-on guidance.
  • Article: Breathe easy while saving the ozone layer.
  • Article: Cost-effectiveness of early assisted discharge for COPD exacerbations in The...
  • Article: Once-daily inhaled fluticasone furoate and vilanterol versus vilanterol only for...
  • Article: Successful patient self-management of COPD requires hands-on guidance.
  • Article: "We need to embrace social media or risk losing our...
  • Article: Analysis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations with the dual...
  • Article: Novartis found to be in breach of code over drug...
  • Article: Once-daily inhaled fluticasone furoate and vilanterol versus vilanterol only for...
  • Article: Analysis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations with the dual...
  • Article: COPD exacerbations -- a comparison of Irish data with European...
  • Article: Inflammatory biomarkers and exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
  • Article: Tracheomalacia.
  • COPD -- see more articles
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• Organizations

  • American College of Chest Physicians
  • American Lung Association
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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• Statistics

  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)(American Lung Association)
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Includes: Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema(National Center for Health Statistics)
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Data and Statistics(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • State Fact Sheets on COPD(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Return to top

• MedlinePlus Magazine

  • COPD: When You Learn More, You'll Breathe Better
  • Return to top

• Seniors

  • COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • COPD: Unique to Older Adults(AGS Foundation for Health in Aging)
  • Return to top

• Patient Handouts

  • Blood gases
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - adults - discharge
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - control drugs
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - quick-relief drugs
  • Also available in Spanish
  • How to breathe when you are short of breath
  • Also available in Spanish
  • How to use an inhaler - no spacer
  • Also available in Spanish
  • How to use an inhaler - with spacer
  • Also available in Spanish
  • How to use your peak flow meter
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Lung surgery - discharge
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Make peak flow a habit!
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Postural drainage
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Pulmonary function tests
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Using oxygen at home
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Return to top