by Erich Rosenberger M.D.

Created on: February 18, 2008

COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It has two major categories, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. COPD is a major cause of death and disability in the United States and in most Western societies. There are various risk factors for the development of COPD. Once a person has developed COPD, they will be forced to deal with the symptoms and management of these diseases for the remainder of their life. Because of this, it is important to be aware of the potential risks for developing these problems.

Smoking

By far the most important of these risk factors is smoking. However this is not the only cause of COPD. Over 80% of cases of chronic bronchitis are caused by smoking. The numbers for emphysema are similar, making smoking easily the most important factor in the development of COPD. The more you smoke and the longer you smoke for, the greater your risk of developing chronic bronchitis or emphysema. Many times a person who quits smoking will see significant improvement in the symptoms of chronic bronchitis. People with emphysema are often not as lucky.

No matter how much improvement may or may not be seen by quitting smoking, a person showing signs or symptoms of COPD absolutely must discontinue cigarette smoking. At the very least this will prevent further damage to your, even if damage that has are even suffered is not reversible.

Despite this known association, only approximately 15% of people who smoke will ever go on to develop significant symptoms of COPD. This means that there must be other risk factors involved in the development of these diseases.

Allergies

There is a known association between people who have a predisposition to skin allergies and people who develop COPD. People who are known to be sensitive to dust mites, ragweed, pollen, and other allergens are more likely to develop COPD later in life. These symptoms can be exacerbated by occupational and environmental exposure to dust. For example, coal miners and farmers who were exposed to dust and other organic solvents are at increased risk for developing COPD.

The exact reasons for this association between allergies and COPD is not well understood.

Genetics

There are numerous genetic factors which have been implicated in the risk of developing COPD. The exact genes associated with this risk and their importance is still being investigated. Because of this risk of a genetic association, it is important to inform your doctor if anyone in your immediate family has developed symptoms of

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