Kids, This is for You
There are 16.4 million people in the United States who have COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). If you don't smoke, you can be almost certain that you will not join their ranks when you turn age 50, 70, or even 90. That's because most people (80 to 90 percent of them) with COPD smoked cigarettes at some time.
What is COPD? It can be one or more of the diseases that prevent the free flow of air through the lungs. Two of the leaders are emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Chronic bronchitis is an almost constant inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes - so much irritation that eventually the linings become scarred, very different from regular bronchial linings. The symptoms of chronic bronchitis are an endless cough, increased mucus, frequent clearing of the throat and shortness of breath.
Emphysema is a condition far inside the lungs. The walls between the tiny sponge-like air sacs in the lungs (the alveoli) lose their ability to stretch and recoil. Instead of being flexible, they become brittle, then eventually break. The result is that air cannot be squeezed out of the air sacs. The old air becomes trapped there, preventing the lungs from performing their essential task: the efficient transfer of oxygen into the blood (and carbon dioxide out of it). The worst news is that the damage cannot be undone. Symptoms of emphysema include a cough, shortness of breath, and a limited ability to exercise.
Today COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, killing more than 100,000 Americans each year. If you are a smoker, you are 10 times more likely to die of COPD than a non-smoker is.
But there are other causes of COPD. These include frequent lung infections and exposure to some industrial pollutants. There is also a hereditary disease, called AAT deficiency emphysema, which occurs (though it is infrequent).
Living With COPD
The quality of life for a person with COPD gets worse as the disease progresses. People with COPD may eventually require supplemental oxygen and may have to rely on machines to help them breathe. The first thing a person with COPD must do is quit smoking. They must also avoid air pollution of all kinds, get vaccinated for the flu, and develop healthy eating and exercise patterns. Drug treatments can help in emergencies, but there is no drug to reverse the course of COPD.
You may have a grandparent or family member with COPD. It's no picnic, as they will assure you. COPD is not only tiring, it's depressing. Anger, sadness, and fear are part of the picture. It's often important for a person with COPD to see a counselor to help them deal with the disease.
