Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is the term used for two co-existing diseases chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Both chronic bronchitis and emphysema limit the air flow to and from the lungs by narrowing the air way passages.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is now becoming the one of the leading cause of death in the world like other life threatening diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart diseases.

The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is classified into two types-

1. 1.Chronic bronchitis.
2. 2.Emphysema.

1. 1.Chronic bronchitis- is the lung damage and inflammation which obstruct the airflow passages by narrowing the airway passages. Chronic bronchitis is diagnosed when cough with sputum production last for three months or more in a year for two continued years.

1. 2.Emphysema- is the lung damage and inflammation of air sacs that is acini close to the bronchioles. Inflammation and infiltration of the air sacs thins out and damage the protective outer layer of acini and therefore functioning capacity gets impaired.

Symptoms-

1. 1.Dysponea, shortness of breath sounds, wheezing. Excess sputum production, ronchi are there.
2. 2.Excess mucous production by mucosal glands due to their hypertrophy. Hypertrophy and hyperplasia of goblet cells. Chronic cough with excess sputum production is there.
3. 3.Breathing expiratory time is prolonged in pulmonary function test. In advanced cases, there is cyanosis of lips and skin and dsyponea occurs even at rest which previously occurs in earlier stages only on doing exercise for long hours or on heavy work.
4. 4.Narrowing of air passages. Thickening and scarring of walls of bronchioles. Thinning of air sacs. Excess carbon dioxide in blood and less oxygen which causes headache, drowsiness, fatigue and cyanosis.

Causes-

1. 1.Smoking, excess tobacco intake, alcoholism. Occupational hazards like in workers working in mines or in drilling work in mines, workers working in coal mines.
2. 2.Air pollution. Auto-immune system diseases. Sometimes genetic causes or genetic defect is there.

Prevention of COPD-

1. 1.Quit smoking and tobacco intake and alcohol. Medication to treat bronchitis and emphysema.
2. 2.Change of occupational area if possible, if not then preventive measures like air masks should be worn. Medication and immunization to treat and prevent inflammation and lung damage.