Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes breathing problems that can make it difficult to do the things you normally do each day. This guide helps you understand what COPD is, how it’s treated and where to find others with COPD on the Web.
Expand All Guide SectionsWhat is COPD?
COPD refers to two diseases: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Together, these diseases are the fourth leading cause of death in America, according to the American Lung Association. Read more about COPD and find a glossary of terms in this section.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Asthma and lung cancer are separate conditions from COPD. To learn more about them, see the findingDulcinea Asthma Web Guide and the findingDulcinea Lung Cancer Web Guide.
Dulcinea's Picks
For a glossary of COPD terms …
Cleveland Clinic
has a glossary of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease terms that could help when learning about the condition.
For an overview of COPD …
The Patient Education Institute
has an interactive overview of COPD that includes diagrams of the lungs and how they work, and explains how the condition is caused, prevented and treated. The presentation is also available as a PDF.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
has a short description of COPD with illustrations of healthy and affected lungs.
COPD Symptoms and Diagnosis
Doctors use a number of methods, such as X-rays and breathing tests, to determine whether someone ... read more »
Treating and Preventing COPD
Treating COPD can take many paths. Doctors often use medication and, depending on the ... read more »
COPD Management and Support
The Web is a good place to find other people who have COPD. There are many blogs, forums and ... read more »
COPD News and Research
New discoveries about chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and how it is detected, managed and ... read more »
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