I was diagnosed with COPD. Can you tell me more about what that means?

COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a term used to refer to long term lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD is a progressive disease which means it gets worse over time. With COPD, your airways - the breathing tubes to your lungs, and the air sacs lose their shape and elasticity. Airways become thick and swollen, narrowing the breathing making it more difficult to get air into the lungs. The cells in the airway produce increased amounts of mucous therefore blocking air from moving to and from the lungs. The most common cause of COPD is smoking. A person who smokes or who has smoked in the past can develop COPD. Some people with COPD feel like they are breathing through a straw.

People often start to notice symptoms of COPD as they get older usually between 40-60 years of age.

Symptoms of COPD include:

• shortness of breath
• increased mucus production
• wheezing or coughing
• feeling tired
• frequent chest infections

Some people think these are normal symptoms of aging. They are not.

You can prevent COPD by not smoking or quitting as soon as possible. If you have COPD, quitting smoking is the best way to slow the process. The main treatments for COPD include: quitting smoking, taking medications, and getting involved in a specialized exercise class for your lungs called pulmonary rehabilitation.  You can still lead a happy and productive life with COPD if you take the steps to take good care of yourself.

For more information about Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), or for available programs and services, contact Health Link Alberta where nurses are available 24-7 to provide health advice and information. Call 1-866-408-LINK (5465) or 780-408-LINK (Edmonton area) or 403-943-LINK (Calgary area).