Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • Our Services >
  • Primary Care >
  • Conditions We Treat >
  • COPD
Primary Care
About Us
Conditions We Treat
Our Services
For Patients
Our Locations
Primary Care
About Us
Conditions We Treat
Our Services
For Patients
Our Locations

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. Many smokers suffer from COPD symptoms, which include coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

There's no cure for COPD, but UPMC's doctors can help you manage symptoms so you feel better.

Looking for COPD Care?

Related services include:

  • Primary Care
  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Services

Find a COPD Provider

On this page

  • What Is COPD?
  • What Are the Symptoms of COPD?
  • How Do You Diagnose COPD?
  • How Do You Treat COPD?

What Is COPD?

Doctors define COPD as a severe disease of the lungs. It happens when your lungs become inflamed or damaged — often from smoking.

The lungs can't move air easily in and out when you breathe, so you cough and feel short of breath.

16 million Americans have a diagnosis of COPD, according to the CDC. Millions more likely have it but don't know it or haven't gotten diagnosed.

COPD is a progressive disease that starts slowly and worsens over time, eventually affecting your ability to enjoy life.

COPD is also a leading cause of disability. In advanced COPD stages, many people have trouble doing basic tasks like cooking or caring for themselves.

Most people get COPD because they smoke. Air pollution, second-hand smoke, and genetics can also cause COPD. Both men and women get COPD.

While there's no cure for COPD, doctors can help slow the progress of the disease.

You can make lifestyle changes and try COPD treatment to improve your quality of life.

What are the types of COPD?

There are two forms of COPD — emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

  • Emphysema. This happens when the air sacs in the lungs get damaged. Healthy air sacs act like balloons, filling up with air and then deflating when you breathe out. Damaged air sacs can't move the air easily out of your body.
  • Chronic bronchitis. This happens when there's long-term irritation and inflammation in the lining of the airways. Thick mucus forms and makes it hard for you to breathe. You may develop a characteristic "smoker's cough."

Some people have both emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Others have asthma symptoms along with COPD.

What causes COPD?

Smoking cigarettes is the main cause of COPD.

You may also get COPD after long-term exposure to:

  • Second-hand smoke.
  • Chemical fumes.
  • Air pollution.

What are COPD risk factors and complications?

Several factors raise your chances of getting COPD.

COPD risk factors

Risk factors for COPD include:

  • A genetic condition. If you inherit a condition known as alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency, you're more likely to get COPD. AAT makes you more vulnerable to smoke and chemical fumes. If you have AAT, you're also more likely to get COPD at a younger age.
  • Age. Most people diagnosed with COPD are over 40.
  • Asthma. People who already have asthma are more likely to develop COPD. Asthma is a lung disease that causes swelling of the airways.
  • Environmental irritants. Air pollution or chemical fumes from your workplace may damage your lungs. Second-hand cigarette smoke in the workplace can also be a factor.
  • Lung disease as a child. If you had lung problems as a child, you are more likely to get COPD as an adult.
  • Other health issues. If you have a condition such as HIV, pneumonia, or tuberculosis, you're more likely to develop COPD.
  • Smoking cigarettes. Most people who have COPD smoke or used to smoke.

Complications of COPD

COPD can lead to other physical, mental, and emotional complications.

If you have COPD, you're more likely to:

  • Get chronic diseases like arthritis, heart failure, diabetes, and stroke.
  • Develop memory loss.
  • Have depression or anxiety.
  • Have physical limitations like trouble walking or going up a set of stairs.
  • Lose weight and muscle.
  • Miss out on social events with family and friends.
  • Need an oxygen tank to help you breathe.
  • Quit working before you want to.

How can I prevent COPD?

The best way to prevent COPD is by not smoking. If you do smoke, try to quit as soon as possible.

Your PCP can talk to you about the best way to quit, including products, programs, and support groups.

You can also prevent complications from COPD by staying up to date on your vaccines. Getting routine flu and pneumonia shots helps prevent lung infections.

Back to top

COPD Symptoms and Diagnosis COPD

What are the signs and symptoms of COPD?

Many people don't know they have COPD because symptoms are mild at first.

Here's what you should look out for.

  • A cough. The cough in COPD is often the first symptom and produces a lot of mucus. Some people call it the "smoker's cough."
  • A tight feeling in your chest.
  • Shortness of breath, especially when you're exercising or even walking.
  • Wheezing, whistling, or squeaking when you breathe.

There are times when symptoms flare up and get suddenly worse. Triggers include substances in the environment or an infection in your body.

How do you diagnose COPD?

Doctors diagnose COPD with a simple test called spirometry.

You blow as hard as possible into a tube connected to a machine. The machine measures how well your lungs are working.

Back to top

What Are the Treatment Options for COPD?

There's no cure for COPD. But you can learn to manage your symptoms and slow down your disease's progression.

Quit smoking

The most crucial part of COPD treatment is to quit smoking.

UPMC offers many resources to help you kick the smoking habit. Your provider can help direct you to programs, support groups, and products to help.

If you need to see a specialist, your PCP can direct you to a lung specialist. The doctors there perform cutting-edge research in lung disease, including COPD.

Other treatments to ease COPD symptoms

Other ways your doctor may suggest treating the symptoms of COPD are:

  • Exercise therapy. This teaches you to breathe better and conserve energy during exercise and movement.
  • Medicines. Your doctor may suggest bronchodilators and steroids. They may prescribe an inhaler to always carry with you.
  • Nutrition therapy. A healthy diet will help make you stronger.
  • Supplemental oxygen. You may need a portable oxygen tank if your oxygen levels are low.
  • Surgery. In rare cases, your doctor may suggest lung volume reduction surgery. For very advanced diseases, they may consider a lung transplant.
Back to top

By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2024-03-28 by Donna Geraci, CRNP.

  • American Lung Association, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
  • CDC, COPD: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment.
  • CDC, Basics About COPD.
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, What Is COPD?

Life Changing Is ... Robert's Deep Breath

Life Changing Is ... Robert's Deep Breath

Surgery at UPMC helped Robert overcome his COPD and emphysema and improve his quality of life.

Read Robert's story.
UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login