What is COPD?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a debilitating disease of the lung that makes it difficult to breathe. COPD is often a mix of two conditions-

• Chronic Bronchitis where the airways that carry air to the lungs become inflamed and make a lot of mucus. This in turn can narrow or block the airways, making it hard to breathe.
• Emphsema which damages the air sacs inside the lungs and makes them lose their elasticity. Less air gets in an out of the lungs making the patient feel breathless.

There is no cure for COPD and the lungs get worse over time. The damage done to the lungs cannot be undone but there are things that can be done to prevent more damage and to enable the patient to feel better.

The 2004 NICE guidance estimates that there around 1.5 million people living with COPD in England and Wales (600,000 of these being undiagnosed).

In 1999 there were approximately 30,000 deaths due to COPD in the UK.

---