{"id":5547,"date":"2017-02-17T13:28:14","date_gmt":"2017-02-17T18:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joinastudy.ca\/?p=5547"},"modified":"2018-08-09T14:05:56","modified_gmt":"2018-08-09T18:05:56","slug":"what-is-copd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joinastudy.ca\/fr\/what-is-copd\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is COPD, Are You At Risk? And Other COPD Facts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Learning COPD facts, including the risks and causes, could help you avoid \u00a0it. If you or someone you love has COPD, having the answers to some common questions will help you on your journey. Continue reading to find out the facts you need when dealing with COPD.<\/p>\n

What does COPD stand for?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease\u00a0<\/a>(COPD) is a group of progressive long-term diseases that\u00a0make it more difficult for air to move into and out of the lungs. The most common of these are chronic bronchitis and emphysema.<\/p>\n

Chronic bronchitis<\/h3>\n

The airways carry air to and from the lungs through tubes called bronchi. When you have\u00a0bronchitis<\/a>, the walls of these airways become inflamed and produce a lot of mucus. This makes it more difficult for air to flow through the bronchi.<\/p>\n

Acute<\/u> bronchitis can develop from a cold or other respiratory infection, and will usually improve within a few days without any lasting effects.<\/p>\n

Chronic<\/u> bronchitis, on the other hand, is a constant irritation or inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, and is a much more serious condition.<\/p>\n

Emphysema<\/h3>\n

Your lungs are made up of small air sacs called alveoli which fill up as you breathe in and deflate as you breathe out. Oxygen passes from these alveoli into blood capillaries. Oxygen is then carried by the blood throughout your body.<\/p>\n

In emphysema<\/a>, these air sacs become damaged, meaning that less oxygen reaches your bloodstream. Also, because of the damage, old air becomes trapped in the lungs, leaving less room for fresh, oxygen-rich air to enter.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How common is COPD?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

In Canada, COPD is estimated to affect approximately 1.5 million people who have been diagnosed with the illness, and an additional 1.6 million undiagnosed people. It\u2019s Canada’s fourth-leading cause of death.<\/p>\n

What causes COPD? Are you at risk?<\/b><\/h2>\n

A lot of people who are at risk of developing COPD haven\u2019t even heard of it. They may not realize that the symptoms they are experiencing are part of a condition that has a name\u2026.<\/p>\n

COPD is caused by lung damage that accumulates over many years, making COPD most common in people over the age of 60. But it can develop as early as in the\u00a040\u2019s.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Smoking<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In developed countries like Canada, smoking cigarettes is the single biggest risk factor for COPD. Approximately 90% of people who are diagnosed with COPD are current or former smokers. About\u00a020-30% of smokers develop COPD<\/a>. With that said, COPD does occur in nonsmokers. About one in six affected have never smoked prior to diagnosis.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Long-term Exposure to Lung Irritants<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Other\u00a0factors that may contribute to COPD<\/a>\u00a0include long-term exposure to secondhand smoke, air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Genetic Factors<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        While rare, some people have a genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency which may predispose them to develop COPD at a fairly young age (i.e., 20 \u2013 50 years old). Few people who have this genetic condition know they have it, and those who\u00a0do have it can get COPD even if they’ve\u00a0never smoked or endured long-term exposure to chemicals\u00a0or pollutants.<\/a><\/p>\n

        What are some signs and symptoms of COPD?<\/b><\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        \"COPD<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        The most\u00a0common symptoms<\/a>\u00a0of COPD include:<\/p>\n