COPD

What is COPD?

COPD stands for Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and refers to all chronic obstructive diseases of the lung.

Causes for the narrowing of the bronchi can be:

Bronchospasm: Cramping of the bronchi muscles
Edema: Swelling of the bronchi's mucous membrane
Hypercriny: Mass slime-production due to chronic air passage inflammation (chronic bronchitis)

What causes COPD?

Smoking is risk factor number one. Nine out of ten COPD patients used to smoke or still do so.
Another risk factor is the exposition to organic or inorganic dust, primarily at the working place.