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- Chronic obstructive airway disease
- Chronic obstructive lung disease
In the U.S., COPD includes:
- Emphysema
- Chronic Bronchitis
In the emphysema type of COPD, the walls between many of the air sacs are destroyed, leading to a few large air sacs, instead of many tiny ones. Then, the lung looks like a sponge with many large bubbles or holes in it, instead of a sponge with very even tiny holes. These few large air sacs have less surface area than the normal tiny ones for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Poor exchange of the oxygen and carbon dioxide causes shortness of breath.
In chronic bronchitis, the airways have become inflamed and thickened and there is an increase in the number and size of the mucus-producing cells. This results in excessive mucus production, which in turn contributes to cough and difficulty getting air in and out of the lungs.
Most people with COPD have both chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
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