Knowra Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease marked by persistent airflow limitation, usually caused by airway inflammation, small-airway damage, and destruction of lung tissue.
Emphysema : A lung condition involving destruction of alveolar walls and enlargement of air spaces, which reduces the area available for gas exchange. It is a major COPD pattern, especially when alveolar destruction reduces elastic recoil.
Spirometry : A lung-function test that measures how much and how quickly a person can exhale. It confirms persistent airflow obstruction, a defining feature of COPD.
Tobacco smoking : The inhalation of smoke produced by burning tobacco, a leading cause of preventable disease. It is the most common cause of COPD in many populations.
Asthma : A chronic airway disease characterized by variable respiratory symptoms and variable expiratory airflow limitation. Asthma obstruction is often more variable and reversible than the persistent limitation typical of COPD.
Chronic respiratory failure : Long-term inability of the respiratory system to maintain adequate oxygen levels, remove carbon dioxide, or both. Advanced COPD can impair gas exchange enough to cause chronic respiratory failure.
Chronic bronchitis : A clinical syndrome defined by cough and sputum production for at least three months in each of two consecutive years. It describes the mucus-producing airway disease often present in COPD.
GOLD classification of COPD : A framework from the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease for assessing airflow limitation, symptoms, and exacerbation risk. It helps classify disease and guide treatment choices.
Biomass fuel exposure : Inhalation of pollutants from burning wood, crop waste, dung, or other biological fuels, often indoors. Long-term household exposure can cause COPD, particularly where clean cooking fuels are scarce.
Asthma-COPD overlap : A clinical description for patients who have features of both asthma and COPD. Shared features can complicate diagnosis and affect choices such as inhaled corticosteroid use.
Pulmonary hypertension : Abnormally high blood pressure in the arteries supplying the lungs. Low oxygen and changes in lung blood vessels can raise pulmonary artery pressure in COPD.
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