What are the causes and symptoms of COPD?
Smoking is the cause of over 90 percent of all COPD cases. About 30 percent of long-term smokers will eventually show symptoms of COPD of varying degrees. Other causes include air pollution and an inherited enzyme deficiency called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. The two main symptoms are coughing and breathlessness. COPD sufferers commonly complain about breathlessness and a cough that develop gradually over a long period of time. Other symptoms are the chronic production of sputum, which is mucus or phlegm that is coughed up, and recurrent chest infection. People with COPD are more prone to chest infection, as the lining in the lung loses its normal defense mechanism against infection. How is COPD diagnosed? A test called spirometry is usually performed to diagnose COPD. Bronchodilators (drugs that cause the airway to dilate) are usually added to confirm the diagnosis. If the test result does not show improvement with bronchodilators, then COPD is very likely. Helping you breathe eas
