COPD - Treatment - NHLBI, NIH
Oct 6, 2024 · If your COPD is mild and you don’t have symptoms often, your provider may prescribe a short-acting bronchodilator that you take only when you have symptoms. Bronchodilators relax the muscles around your airways, opening them up …
COPD - Symptoms - NHLBI, NIH
Oct 4, 2024 · At first, COPD may cause no symptoms or only mild symptoms. As the disease gets worse, symptoms usually become more serious. There may be times when symptoms suddenly worsen — known as a flare-up or an exacerbation — because of triggers such as an infection or something in the environment like dust or smoke.
COPD - What Is COPD? - NHLBI, NIH
Nov 8, 2024 · COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of a slimy substance called mucus . It can also cause breathing problems, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms . Because COPD is a progressive disease, its symptoms often develop slowly but worsen over time and can limit your ability to do routine activities.
COPD - Diagnosis - NHLBI, NIH
Oct 4, 2024 · If your provider recommends getting an X-ray or computed tomography (CT) scan to detect lung cancer or diagnose a breathing problem, ask them about your risk of COPD. If you get a COPD diagnosis, ask about genetic screening. Some people have a genetic condition that increases their risk of COPD, called alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency ...
COPD - Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency - NHLBI, NIH
Oct 25, 2023 · Side effects of this treatment are rare and may include a mild fever, headaches, nausea, and dizziness. If you have COPD, you may also need medicines or other treatments . Talk to your healthcare provider about ways to help prevent or delay lung damage, such as quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke, dust, or air pollution.
COPD develops slowly, and can worsen over time. Many people with COPD avoid activities they used to enjoy because they become short of breath so easily. When COPD becomes severe, it can get in the way of doing even the most basic tasks, such as light housekeeping, taking a walk, bathing and getting dressed. CoPD is serious, yet many
• COPD causes airways to swell and become blocked with mucus, which can make it hard to breathe. Certain vaccine-preventable diseases can also increase swelling of airways and lungs. The combination of the two can lead to pneumonia and other serious respiratory illnesses, even if the condition is mild and symptoms are controlled.
COPD. Asthma is a chronic (long-term) lung disease that inflames and tightens the airways. Asthma treatments usually can reverse the inflammation and narrowing. However, in the presence of COPD, much of the reversibility is lost. At first, COPD may cause no symptoms or only mild symptoms. As the disease gets worse, symptoms usually become more ...
What Are Interstitial Lung Diseases? - NHLBI, NIH
Mar 24, 2022 · ILDs can be mild, serious, or even life-threatening. Symptoms of ILDs may include shortness of breath, dry cough, chest discomfort, and extreme tiredness. Your healthcare provider may diagnose your ILD based on your medical and family histories and results from lung tests, blood tests, and genetic testing. There are many types of ILDs.
Bronchiectasis - What Is Bronchiectasis? | NHLBI, NIH
Oct 27, 2023 · It can also occur with other lung conditions in adults, such as severe COPD (35%-50% of the time) and severe asthma (25%-40% of the time). It can occur with many other conditions as well. When these conditions are present, bronchiectasis can cause serious health problems, including res