COPD

What is COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)?

COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a progressively degenerative lung disease. It causes the lungs to become ineffective and bring in the oxygen into the bloodstream and expelling carbon dioxide from the body. Both of these functions are vital for healthy living.

With COPD, the alveoli walls lose their elasticity, causing them to stay partially inflated making it difficult for the patient to breathe. COPD is also often called the "silent killer" because the symptoms become more severe over time. Worldwide, 3 million deaths annually are attributed to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

According to one research, there are more than 13 million people who are affected by COPD and more than 24 million are unaware that they have COPD and are yet to be diagnosed. Hence, it is important to be aware of the symptoms so that on-time treatment is considered.