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How do you know if you have COPD?

I am a 33 year old female. I want to know how do you know if you have COPD?

1 Answer

PulmonologistPulmonologist
Greetings,

Good question - COPD is a chronic lung condition, which results from repeated irritants inhaled into the lungs. COPD includes large bronchi inflammation and mucus production, smaller
bronchiole thickening and tightening, plus scarring down at the alveoli. The condition varies from person to person and may be mild, moderate, or severe. The clear diagnosis requires a breathing test - called Spirometry - and this can be done at an ordinary office appointment. Spirometry these days is easily done with a hand held device (just a little bit thicker and larger than a cell phone) and you hold the device and wrap your lips around a firm one inch mouth piece and exhale completely and rapidly into the spirometer. The spirometer measures your exhaled breath 'volume' per second and 'speed' of air movement. The spirometer produces a reading and a graph. The reading states FORCED EXHALED VOLUME of 1 second and FORCED EXHALED VOLUME OVER Entire exhalation, too. A graph shows the exhaled volume per second. COPD has a characteristic reduced FEV during the first second and a
characteristically reduced FEV Complete. The exact reading of FEV during first second declares mild, moderate, or severe, as does the total FEV Complete over the entire exhaled breath. This is done in a lung specialist's office, some primary care practices, all asthma offices, and typically in ER and URGENT Care clinics. Your FEV1/FVC ratio informs you of no or yes mild/moderate/or severe. Symptoms vary - some shortness of breath with walking/cough are typical, and response to an inhaler. Improvement with an inhaler is important, too. A chest X-ray is helpful, but not specific.

Rex Mahnensmith, MD
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