COPD News & Features

As lakes dry up around the world, they create a host of problems for the people near their former shorelines – including respiratory illnesses.

It's not always easy to get a diagnosis of AAT deficiency. Find out why.

One woman's journey from learning she has alpha-1, or genetic COPD, to managing it on a day-to-day basis.

You don't have to smoke to get COPD. Learn what inherited COPD is, and what it means for your lungs and liver.

Learn about treatment options for apha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

An expert in AAT deficiency, also known as alpha-1 or genetic COPD, shares strategies for managing it.

Edi Mesa shares how she keeps COPD episodes at bay with these steps.

Jean Rommes shares some of what to expect when joining a COPD clinical trial.

Here are some simple ways to go about taking care of yourself when dealing with COPD.

Even if your condition is more advanced, there are several ways to live your life to the fullest despite COPD. Here, WebMD shows you how.

Here are five key tips to living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Studies show marijuana can open up your airways. But can inhaling cannabis help or hurt a smoking-related lung condition like COPD?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to predicting someone’s life span with COPD. A lot depends on your age, health, lifestyle, and how severe the disease was when you were diagnosed, plus the steps you've taken to lessen the damage afterward.

If you’re living with COPD, you may have already made some lifestyle changes to stay healthy and make it less likely that your condition will get worse, which is great. And you might wonder if alcohol could prevent, improve, or make COPD worse. Here’s what the science says about drinking alcohol when you have COPD.

COPD not only makes you feel breathless, it can also make you feel isolated, depressed, and stressed. When you connect with a community of other people who have COPD, you’ll get support, management tips, and advice on how to improve your symptoms and feel better. Learn how to find a COPD community online to get help.

COPD is a lifelong condition that can make breathing difficult and interrupt daily activities. Playing the harmonica might hold the key to ease and improve breathing.

Many homes harbor dust, fumes, germs, and other irritants that aggravate COPD symptoms like wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.

WebMD article on smoking cessation for people who have COPD.

COPD makes it hard to breathe. Can CBD help people with this condition?

If you have COPD, is it OK to drink alcohol, or should you go cold turkey? And is there a link between drinking and developing COPD?

If you have or are at risk for a lung condition such as COPD, you may have heard about ways people try to “detox” their lungs. Here’s what you should know first.

Researchers are looking for new ways to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Here’s a look at what’s on the horizon.

Find out how your doctor will decide the best course of action to ease your COPD symptoms.

September 12, 2017 — Study finds risk of lung disease from prolonged exposure to some disinfectants.

September 8, 2017 — Deaths from lung-related causes were reduced by as much as 45 percent, study suggests

February 3, 2015 — Consuming less red meat, soda and alcohol tied to lower COPD threat in study

A rare type of emphysema can seriously damage your lungs. Learn about treatments for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

Smart moves at home and work can help people with AAT deficiency feel their best.

WebMD talks to lung health experts about three of the most common supplements explored by people with COPD: NAC, vitamin D, and ginseng.

WebMD discusses the prognosis for people with COPD, whether they're in the early or later stages of the lung disease.

July 23, 2012 — The FDA has approved a new inhaled drug for the treatment of the lung disease COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

March 9, 2012 — People with the lung disease COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) who overdo it on bacon, salami, and other cured meats may be at greater risk for experiencing a flare-up that lands them back in the hospital.

May 16, 2011 — People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be able to reap significant health benefits by engaging in an interactive video exercising program at home using Nintendo’s Wii Fit video game, a new study says.

June 16, 2010 — More than 90% of acutely ill individuals who are hospitalized for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) receive high doses of IV steroids even though lower-dose oral steroids may be just as effective, a study shows.

May 24, 2010 — Beta-blocker medications, which are not commonly prescribed for patients with chronic lung disease, may actually be of benefit to them, according to a new study.

April 5, 2010 — As many as two in three people with known risk factors for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) don't know that they have the disease.

COPD symptoms can interfere with sex. But you don’t have to say goodbye to intimacy. Here are nine helpful strategies for sex and intimacy when you have COPD.

If you have COPD, your calorie requirements may be higher than you think. A person with COPD can burn 10 times as many calories breathing as a healthy person. Here are 11 feel-better foods and beverages that are rich in calories and nutrients.

The more you know about COPD, the better you can manage it. Find out about treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

August 15, 2008 — People with chronic obstructive lung disease find it harder and harder to breathe. Now a major study shows that inhaled medications can slow this deadly process.

Living with COPD presents 13 million Americans with new challenges, and opportunities for better health. Are you one? Then read on.