COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder is one of the most common problem that is seen in people of all age groups. There are young people who may be affected by this condition and there are very old people who are affected too. This condition does not have a specific age group who are more affected. Another important fact about chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder is that more people die from this condition than any other condition.
The various important facts about chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder that everyone should know are:
1. Smoking:
Smoking is the major cause for this condition. There are many people who are affected by this condition. This can also cause a lot of damage in the people who do not smoke, but only inhale the smoke as passive smokers. Smoking can cause severe damage to the lungs of the person. This is because the nicotine in the cigarette smoke affects the lungs more than the normal smoke. Smokers have a very high incidence of lung damage and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. If the person stops smoking, then the risk of getting chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder slowly reduces over a period of time.
2. Other smoke:
Other than the cigarette smoke, all other kinds of smoke can also cause the person to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. Pollution from exhaust pipes of vehicles and also smoke from chimneys and cooking fires also have the potential to damage the lungs. People whose occupation involves being near smoke are found to have a very high incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.
3. Damage to the lungs:
The damage to the lungs that occurs because of the smoke from the fires and also from the cigarettes can cause irreversible damage to the lungs. The lungs are made of many small alveoli. These get clogged when the person inhales smoke. As the alveoli get damaged, they do not have any air entering them. This decreased air entry can lead to breathing difficulty which is an important sign of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.
4. Lungs get older:
The smoking that a person is used to causes more damage because the smoke that enters the lungs usually makes the lungs to get older than they actually are. If the lungs are of a 40 year old person who is a smoker, then it would look like the lungs of a 70 year old person who does not smoke. This is because of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.
5. Certain types of cigarettes more dangerous:
Even in smoking, people who smoke certain specific brands are more at risk of getting chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. This is true in people who smoke bidis and also cigarettes that have no filter in the cigarette. This is because there is no filter to prevent all the dangerous particles to prevent entering the lungs.
These are the various kinds of problems that are associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. Taking adequate care and also quitting smoking will help to reduce the severity of the condition.
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