People often can help ease the stress of illness by joining a support group in which members share common experiences and problems.

See also: Lung disease - support group

This condition is a long-term (chronic) illness. The disease will get worse more quickly if one continues to smoke.

Patients with severe COPD will be short of breath with most activities and will be admitted to the hospital more often. These patients should talk with their doctor about the use of breathing machines and end-of-life care.

• Irregular heart beats (arrhythmias)
• Need for breathing machine and oxygen therapy
• Right-sided heart failure or cor pulmonale (heart swelling and heart failure due to chronic lung disease)
• Pneumonia
• Pneumothorax
• Severe weight loss and malnutrition

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if you have a rapid increase in shortness of breath.

Images

Bronchitis

Quitting smoking

Emphysema

Smoking and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder)

Spirometry

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder)

Respiratory system

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Review Date: 10/09/2009
Reviewed By: Andrew Schriber, MD, FCCP, Specialist in Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Virtua Memorial Hospital, Mount Holly, New Jersey. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)