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European Federation of Allergy and Airway Diseases Patients Association
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  1. What is COPD?
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COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

coupleThe WHO estimates that 210 million people worldwide have COPD and approximately 4-10% of adults in Europe.

COPD is one of the few major diseases that is still increasing in terms of the number of people diagnosed.

Chronic means it is persistent – the disease won’t go away
Obstructive means the airways are partly blocked
Pulmonary means in the lungs
Disease means sickness

Although COPD is a serious disease, there are many things you can do that will have a positive impact on your life and improve how you feel. This COPD section investigates some of these things, to give help, support and a voice to people with COPD and their carers.

Additional information

MANIFESTO

EFA COPD Patient Manifesto: Vision for Change

English French German Italian Spanish versions.

COPD

If you have one or more of these symptoms, you may have COPD;

  • breathlessness
  • increased effort to breathe
  • heaviness or a ‘need for air’
  • excessive mucus
  • chronic cough

Visit your doctor for a diagnosis!

COPD MATERIALS

Try the Indoor Environment Test !

NOTE

The production of COPD section was made possible by an educational grant from GSK.
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