HealthInfo Waitaha Canterbury
Overview of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Tirohanga whānui ki te matenga ārai ia-auraki wā roa
COPD is a long-term lung condition. It can cause breathlessness, coughing, mucus (sputum or phlegm) and sometimes wheezing.
You can think about your lungs as being made up of tubes and sponges. The tubes bring air in from the outside world. Oxygen from the air transfers to your bloodstream in the spongy part of your lungs (alveoli).
COPD makes the tubes narrow and full of mucus (this is called chronic bronchitis) and damages the spongy parts (this is called emphysema).
People with COPD are breathless because they have to work hard to breathe through narrowed tubes and stiff sponges.
Important
COPD is treatable. The most important way to treat it is to stop smoking if you currently smoke.
COPD is much more common in people who smoke or have smoked in the past than people who have never smoked. COPD can also run in whānau (families).
Long-term exposure to second-hand smoke or air pollution can also cause COPD. Inhaling fumes, dust or smoke during your line of work is another cause.
Symptoms of COPD
Often the symptoms of COPD take a long time to appear. You could have the condition for many years and not know about it. The symptoms include:
- a daily cough that produces mucus
- a lot of mucus in your throat in the mornings
- wheezing
- shortness of breath
- lack of energy
- frequent chest infections.
If you have any of these symptoms and have been a smoker, talk to your general practice team.
Diagnosing COPD
You may need several tests to diagnose COPD and rule out other causes of your shortness of breath.
A breathing test known as spirometry is the best way to tell if you have COPD and to work out how bad it is. This is a simple test. You blow into a machine that measures how well your lungs are working.
There are several places where you can have the test. Your general practice team will refer you to the one that is most convenient for you.
Other tests you may have include:
- pulse oximetry, which is a light probe on your finger to measure your blood oxygen. There is a difference between feeling short of breath and being short of oxygen
- a chest X-ray to look for other possible causes of your shortness of breath
- an ECG to check for heart issues
- blood tests.
Treating COPD
While COPD cannot be cured, treatment can prevent it getting worse and help with your symptoms.
There are also several things you can do to help yourself manage your COPD.
Not smoking is the best way to help your COPD and stop it getting worse.
Medications can reduce the effects of COPD like infections and wheeze.
In Canterbury, there are many specialist respiratory services for people with COPD or other breathing disorders, including:
- Respiratory Specialist Nursing Service. The service provides education and advice on disease and management, pulmonary rehabilitation and spirometry.
- Community Respiratory Service. The community respiratory service works alongside general practice teams and community groups to provide advice and support around respiratory issues.
- Cardio-Respiratory Integrated Specialist Services (CRISS). Specialist nurses work with respiratory consultants to coordinate hospital- and community-based care for people with severe lung disease. If you are eligible for oxygen at home, they also provide oxygen therapy and follow-up.
- CanBreathe. The local Asthma Society supporting the community to understand and manage their breathing condition, especially for people with asthma.
Your general practice team or other health professional can refer you to one or more of these services as you need them.
A specialised exercise and education programme known as pulmonary rehabilitation such as the Canterbury Better Breathing programme is an important part of treatment.
HealthInfo recommends the following videos
- Prime Medic – Understanding chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
A short, animated video that explains the causes, risk factors and common symptoms of COPD, as well as how lungs with COPD function.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ – Manage your COPD
Information about how to manage with COPD.
- Asthma + Lung UK – COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
More information about COPD.
On the next page: Self-care for COPD
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed October 2024.
SourcesReview key: HICOP-16602
