What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (C.O.P.D.)?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term referring to two lung diseases, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, that are characterized by obstruction to airflow that interferes with normal breathing. Both of these conditions frequently co-exist, hence physicians prefer the term COPD. It does not include other obstructive diseases such as asthma. The American Lung Association has produced a helpful fact sheet that you can download, review and print for additional insight into COPD.
