Causes and symptoms
COPD is the result of long-term damage to the lungs. The most common cause is smoking. People who smoke are six times more likely to get COPD than a non-smoker. 1, 2
The most common symptoms of COPD include:
• Early morning cough (smoker's cough)
• Persistent coughing
• Mucus and phlegm (thicker mucus)
• Wheezing
• Tight chest
• Difficulty breathing/ shortness of breath
• Recurring lung and chest infections.
COPD symptoms often get worse in the winter and it is common to suffer from serious flare-ups (also called exacerbations) during the year. Flare-ups often lead to being treated in hospital. 1
References:
1. NHS Clinical Knowledge Summaries: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Available at https://www.cks.library.nhs.uk/patient_information_leaflet/chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease [Accessed August 2009]
2. Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. Global strategy for the diagnosis, management and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Available at http://www.goldcopd.com/Guidelineitem.asp?l1=2&l2=1&intId=2003 [Accessed August 2009]