Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD including chronic bronchitis and emphysema

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is a preventable and treatable lung disease. People with COPD work harder to breathe, which can lead to shortness of breath and/or feeling tired. Early in the disease, people with COPD may feel short of breath when they exercise. As the disease progresses, it can be hard to breathe out (exhale) or even breathe in (inhale). A person with COPD may have chronic bronchitis (bron-ki-tis), emphysema, or a combination of both conditions. The amount of each of these conditions differs from person to person. COPD is a chronic condition, meaning that it is usually for life, but people with the disease can continue to live well with effective management.