COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease): Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment Guide

November 2, 2025 Denvax Clinic

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is one of the leading causes of chronic illness and death worldwide. Characterized by continuous airflow limitation leading to breathing difficulty, which progressively worsens over time, damaging the lungs. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 380 million people are affected with COPD globally, including in India, where this condition is quite serious, with a significant number of cases.

The most concerning fact is that COPD often goes undiagnosed and is not easy to detect at early stages. For this, timely care, awareness, and lifestyle management are essential to improve the quality of life.

What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?

COPD is an illness in which the lungs are damaged due to irregular airflow into the lungs, affecting our respiratory system. COPD is an umbrella term that means it covers two main conditions; these are:

Chronic bronchitis—It is due to the chronic (long-term) inflammation in the lining of the tube that brings air into the lungs. Inflammation blocks the airway passage, leading to excessive mucus production.
Emphysema—When alveoli (tiny air sacs in the lungs) are damaged, it causes poor oxygen exchange and circulation

Note: Both conditions affect airflow by blocking the passage, leading to breathing difficulties that can worsen over time.

What are the Symptoms of COPD?

Symptoms typically don’t appear until later and develop gradually over time, making the condition difficult to detect until it reaches an advanced stage. Some of the common signs include.

Early symptoms

Morning cough with clear mucus (“smoker’s cough”)
Wheezing or whistling sound while breathing
Swelling in the ankles, feet, and legs

In the Later or advanced stage, the symptoms worsen due to triggers like cold, infections, pollution, dust, and allergens. Symptoms include:

Unexplained weight loss
Mild breathlessness after some activity (like climbing stairs)
Persistent cough
Fatigue and weakness
Increased lung infection
Fever and Chest tightness

It is important to note the symptoms. If it lasts for many days, consult your doctor accordingly, for early recognition of the condition can significantly improve the quality of life.

What are the Causes of COPD?

While COPD is a multifactorial disease (has many causes), the primary reason for COPD is smoking, especially in developing countries where air quality is badly affected. The risk of COPS significantly increases in some of the causes, including:

Tobacco and Smoking—Responsible for 80-90 % of COPD cases. In developing countries like India, smoke from a bidi or a hookah is equally harmful, and even passive smoking (secondhand smoke) can lead to this condition.
Outdoor Pollution: In developing countries or urban areas with a high rate of industrialization and vehicles generate toxic fumes and smoke that lower the air quality. In rural areas, pollution from biomass fuels (wood, cow dung, and coal) can directly or indirectly lead to COPD and asthma-like conditions.
Occupational Hazards: People working in the mining and textile industries are generally exposed to dust, chemical fumes, vapor, and silica, which can raise the risk.
Genetic Factors: A rare inherited genetic disorder called Alpha 1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency occurs in ~1% of people linked with emphysema. AAT is a protective protein made in the liver that helps protect the lungs from damage by smoke and poisonous chemicals, and mutations in the gene that lead to low levels of AAT in the blood, thus increasing the risk.
Asthma: Asthma is a condition caused by the narrowing of the airways that swell and block the air flow, which can increase the risk of COPD. Along with symptoms like wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing, it can lead to Asthma-COPD overlap syndrome.

Stages of COPD

Based on the spirometry results, which measure the amount of air you can exhale per second (FEV1), doctors use the GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) to classify different stages of COPD.

Stage 1 (Mild)—With no or minimal symptoms, you may feel shortness of breath during heavy exercise, FEV1 ≥ 80% predicted.

Stage 2 (Moderate) – Symptoms like difficulty breathing become more common even with normal running or walking, affecting your daily tasks (FEV1 50–79%).

Stage 3 (Severe)—Increased symptoms significantly affect your day-to-day activities, making it harder for you to perform and handle daily tasks, FEV1 30–49%.

Stage 4 (Very Severe)—Poor quality of life due to an increase in the severity of symptoms. You may experience low energy with an increased risk of respiratory failure and FEV1 < 30%.

How is COPD diagnosed?

It starts with the physical examination; your doctor will check for the symptoms, and, based upon your medical and travel history, they will recommend you test to check or confirm if the condition really persists.

Some of the Key tests include:

Spirometry (lung function test): It checks your lungs by measuring airflow limitation, in which you blow into a machine that measures FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 second). A lower number indicates more severe COPD.
Imaging tests: Chest X-rays and CT scans can help rule out emphysema or lung cancer due to COPD.
Arterial Blood Gas Test: This test helps measure oxygen and carbon dioxide in your arterial blood.
Pulse Oximetry: A non-invasive test using a fingertip device to measure the blood oxygen level.
Lab Tests: To check alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in younger patients.

Treatment for COPD

While there is no permanent cure, slowing down the progression, lowering symptoms, and preventing complications can work to control COPD. These include

Lifestyle Changes

Quit Smoking: The single most important step, reducing exposure to smoke, can be controlled effectively.
Avoid Irritants: exposure to dust, smoke, perfumes, and incense sticks can irritate the lungs and increase the risk of COPD.
A healthy diet: You can also maintain a lung-friendly diet (antioxidants, omega-3, vitamins) to improve your lung health against COPD and other lung-related diseases.
Conserve your energy: Stay active through gentle exercise like walking and running. Break down tasks into small steps and take rest accordingly. This helps you to manage COPD effectively.

Medications for COPD

If lifestyle changes alone are not enough, medications can be used as a supportive measure for COPD.

Bronchodilators—They help relax airway muscles for better oxygen circulation.
Inhaled corticosteroids – deliver medicine directly into the lungs, come with low side effects, and reduce inflammation. Or combination inhalers for moderate to severe COPD.
Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors – reduce airway inflammation in severe cases.
Antibiotics & antivirals – In case of serious bacterial infections in the lungs.

Surgery (for severe COPD):

Lung Volume Reduction Surgery – Removes diseased parts of the lung.
Bullectomy – The removal of large bullae.
Lung Transplant—Last option for end-stage COPD.

How to prevent COPD

Avoid secondhand smoke.
Use clean cooking fuels (LPG, induction, solar) instead of firewood.
Always wear masks in dusty and polluted areas.
Be sure to get regular vaccinations (flu, pneumococcal)
Always get regular health checkups if you have risk factors.

What are the associated risk factors of COPD?

COPD rarely comes alone. It increases the risk of:

Heart disease (caused by low oxygen levels and high blood pressure in the lungs’ arteries).
Lung cancer (especially among smokers).
Osteoporosis (resulting from long-term steroid use).
Diabetes (a condition associated with inflammation).
Chronic illness-related depression and anxiety.

What are the Complications of COPD?

If left untreated for a longer time, it can give rise to other conditions such as

Frequent lung infections
Respiratory failure
Pneumonia
Pneumothorax (collapsed lung)
Pulmonary hypertension
Right-sided heart failure (cor pulmonale)
Excess level of RBC in blood (polycythemia)
Low oxygen level in blood (hypoxemia) or high CO₂ blood level (hypercapnia)

Conclusion

COPD is a serious condition, but it can be managed. It’s crucial to bring awareness, early detection, smoking cessation, and medical care, which can be done with proper treatment and lifestyle adjustments. Patients can breathe easier and live longer, with an improved quality of life. If you notice a persistent cough, mucus, or shortness of breath, do not ignore it. Get a lung function test because early treatment can change the course of COPD.

FAQs

Is COPD curable?

In its most advanced stages, it is highly incurable, and treatment with medicines and surgery can help reduce the damage due to this condition. As symptoms worsen, it can lead to respiratory failure, leading to death. It’s important to address the symptoms and stages through proper diagnosis Contact with your doctor for a better treatment approach.

Can non-smokers develop COPD?

Yes, while smoking is the leading cause, non-smokers can develop COPD due to

indoor air pollution (cooking with wood, coal, or dung)
industrial exposure (dust, chemicals, fumes).es)
Passive smoking (Secondhand smoke)
Genetic disorders like alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

IS COPD the same as asthma?

No, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and asthma are two different respiratory conditions, though they both cause breathing difficulty. Asthma occurs due to an allergic reaction or hypersensitivity in which IgE antibodies are released. COPD, on the other hand caused due to long-term lung damage due to smoking or air pollution it s important to diagnose it early for better detection and analysis