CHEST FoundationWe champion lung healthWho We AreGenerous DonorsBoard of TrusteesPartnershipsBlogContact UsWhat We DoClinical ResearchCommunity ServicePatient EducationTake ActionGrantsApply NowGrant ResourcesGrant WinnersVolunteerPrograms & CampaignsLung Health ExperienceWomen & Pulmonary InitiativeWays to GiveChampions CircleFounders SocietyNetWorks ChallengeDonateChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)Go back to Patient Education ResourcesLearn About Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)Order our Living Well with COPD guide here.COPD is a condition where it is difficult to breathe and completely empty air from the lungs. It is common and an important cause of illness and death. It is preventable and treatable.To view our Spanish guide, Conviviendo con la EPOC, click here.Key Facts:COPD is a common, preventable disease that causes progressive loss of lung function.Diagnosing COPD requires breathing tests.Breathing cigarette smoke, indoor air pollution and exposures to chemicals, fumes and dusts at work are important risk for developing COPD.COPD is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide.Think you might be at risk for COPD? Take this short screener.What is COPD?COPD is a progressive disease where inflammation in the lungs damages lung tissue and traps air in the lungs. As the disease worsens, it takes longer and longer to exhale. The lungs become overinflated and shortness of breath develops. Inflammation is most often due to cigarette smoking. Once started, the inflammation is difficult to stop.How COPD Affects Your BodyInflammation in the lungs causes damage to the airways (breathing tubes). It narrows the small airways and increases mucus secretion. There is also inflammation in alveoli (air sacs) that damages lung tissue. This makes it harder to get oxygen into to the body and remove carbon dioxide. The inflammation leads to increasing shortness of breath and limits your ability to do things like housework and climbing stairs. The lung damage normally gets worse slowly but unpredictable exacerbations (or disease flairs) can occur. They are often triggered by infections. These COPD flairs can rapidly increase your symptoms. If severe, you can end up hospitalized.How Serious is COPD?COPD can range from a mild to a severe disease. COPD is progressive. With time, shortness of breath worsens. It becomes harder to exercise and even daily activities can be difficult. COPD also causes cough, chest tightness, wheezing and chronic phlegm (or mucus) production. Severe disease can lead to weight loss and fatigue. Depression, thin bones, lung cancer, heart disease and muscle weakness are all more common in people with COPD. It can also cause severe disability and even death. COPD costs the United States 50 billion dollars a year in lost wages and medical bills. It is the 3rd most common cause of death. Twenty four million people in the United States have COPD and half don’t even know it. Stopping smoking can slo