COPD

What is COPD?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is when the lungs’ airways (bronchi) become narrowed, making it difficult to breathe. COPD is the term used to describe the effects of a group of lung diseases, including:

  • Emphysema – when air gets trapped in your lungs, and you can’t breathe it out. The trapped air makes it harder to breathe in again
  • Chronic bronchitis – constant irritation and swelling of your airways
  • Chronic asthma – tight airways filled with sticky mucus makes it difficult to breathe in and out normally.

How do I get COPD?

There are many different causes and things that can influence if you have COPD. Some of these things can be controlled, and some cannot.

Things you can control:

  • Smoking – the most common cause of COPD
  • Includes if you are currently smoking, have smoked in the past, or have been exposed to second-hand smoke
  • Your surroundings – working or living in dusty areas or around chemical fumes, smoke or air pollution.

Things you cannot control:

  • Genetic causes – some people can get severe emphysema from a protein disorder
  • Being an Indigenous Australian
    • Indigenous Australians are 2.5 times more likely to have COPD than non-Indigenous Australians
    • COPD causes two-thirds of respiratory deaths in Indigenous Australians.
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