 |
|
|
LATEST NEWS |
|
|
Press Releases COPD in the News Foundation News General Info Blog Healthcare Blog |
| Home | Do I Have COPD | Patients & Families | Medical Professionals | Programs | About Us | How To Help | Contact Us |
|
Symptoms Risk Factors Get Tested for COPD Living with COPD |
Do I Have COPD? Most people who are at risk for getting COPD have never even heard of it. Many times, people do not even know that the problem has a name. Some of the things that put people at risk for COPD are listed below. Smoking COPD most often occurs in people age 40 and over with a record of smoking. These people are either current or former smokers. As many as 1 out of 6 people with COPD never smoked. Smoking is the most common cause of COPD and accounts for as many as 9 out of 10 COPD caused deaths. Environmental Factors COPD can also occur in people who have had long-term contact with things that can bother their lungs. Some of these include certain chemicals, dust, or fumes in the workplace. Heavy or long-term contact with secondhand smoke or other air toxins may also cause COPD. Genetic Factors In some people, COPD is caused by alpha-1 antitrypsin, or AAT deficiency. It is likely that as many as 100,000 people in the U.S. have it. Like COPD, many people are not aware that they have AAT. People with this deficiency can get COPD even if they have never smoked or had long-term contact with things that can bother their lungs.
|
|
|