COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
A long-term lung condition that makes it hard to breathe, mainly caused by smoking and exposure to smoke from cooking fuels.
Quick Summary
Breathlessness with activity, a long-lasting cough with phlegm, wheezing and frequent chest infections.
Stopping smoking, inhalers to open the airways, pulmonary rehabilitation and vaccines to prevent infections.
Smoking, indoor smoke from wood or dung cooking fuels, air pollution, dust and fumes at work.
Overview
COPD includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The airways become narrowed and the lungs lose their stretch, so air gets trapped.
It gets worse slowly over time. In India, many people with COPD have never smoked but were exposed to indoor smoke from cooking. Treatment can improve symptoms and quality of life.
Symptoms
Breathlessness
At first with activity, later even at rest.
Long-lasting cough
With phlegm, often worse in the morning.
Wheezing
A whistling sound when breathing.
Flare-ups
Sudden worsening, often with infection, may need urgent care.
Causes & Risk Factors
Biological Causes
Long-term inflammation from breathing in smoke and pollutants damages the airways and air sacs.
Key Risk Factors
- Smoking The main cause, including bidis and hookah.
- Biomass smoke Cooking with wood, dung or crop waste indoors.
- Workplace exposure Dust, chemicals and fumes.
Management & Treatment
01. Stop smoking
The single most important step.
02. Inhalers
Bronchodilators to open the airways, sometimes with a steroid.
03. Rehabilitation and vaccines
Breathing exercises, physical activity, and flu and pneumococcal vaccines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can COPD be cured?
Is COPD the same as asthma?
How is it diagnosed?
Sources and further reading
Last updated 21 October 2026. For more detail, see these trusted health organisations.
- COPD(opens in a new tab) · MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)(opens in a new tab) · NHS