Types & Stages of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The Different Types and Stages of COPD

The two most common forms of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease are Bronchitis and Emphysema, but other types include:

• Chronic Obstructive Airways Disease
• Chronic Airflow Limitation
• Bronchiectasis
• Chronic Asthma

Essentially, while these conditions are all different in their own ways, their symptoms and outcomes are in many cases very similar to those of Bronchitis and Emphysema, which sadly can affect people at the same time.

Chronic Bronchitis is defined clinically as a cough that frequently produces sputum or phlegm for at least three months in each year for two or three consecutive years. It is essentially an inflammation of the bronchial tubes – the passages that allow air into the lungs. When they become inflamed they restrict the airflow, making it harder to breathe normally, alongside a productive cough.

Emphysema is an enlargement of the alveoli – the air sacs within the lungs. Each lung contains millions of tiny sacs which receive carbon dioxide from the blood and exchange it for oxygen breathed into the lungs. When these sacs lose their elasticity they grow larger and can no longer function efficiently, meaning that the oxygen is not taken in, and the carbon dioxide is not properly transformed, leading to a range of issues.

Bronchiectasis is the inflammation and widening of the bronchi (breathing tubes) which can lead to similar symptoms to those of COPD, as with Chronic Asthma; while the cause is different, the outcome and associated breathing difficulties can affect people in a very similar manner.

There are four stages of COPD; as it becomes more severe the symptoms can become more dangerous:

Mild – you might suffer from an occasional cough and your airflow might be slightly limited.

Moderate – you often feel short of breath after performing activity of any sort, perhaps you have a frequent cough too.

Severe – at this stage you are unlikely to perform normal exercise without becoming breathless, your cough is productive and frequent and other symptoms may flare up suddenly (called an exacerbation).

Very severe – your airflow is significantly limited, you’re unable to perform many daily tasks and your cough is relentless and productive. Quality of life for those in the very severe category is significantly reduced.

No matter what type or stage you think your condition might be, if you have any concerns about your lungs or breathing you should go straight to your doctor to get advice as to what is causing it and how it can be treated. While there is currently no cure for COPD, there are a range of treatments that can help manage and reduce some of the symptoms.

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