Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of obstructive lung disease characterized by long term poor airflow. The main symptoms include shortness of breath and cough with sputum production. COPD typically worsens over time. Eventually walking up stairs or carrying things will be difficult. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are older terms used for different types of COPD. The term "chronic bronchitis" is still used to define a productive cough that is present for at least three months each year for two years.<br>See also : [[Bronchtis]]
==Causes==
Tobacco smoking is the most common cause of COPD, with a number of other factors such as air pollution and genetics playing a smaller role.[5] In the developing world, one of the common sources of air pollution is poorly vented heating and cooking fires.[2] Long-term exposure to these irritants causes an inflammatory
== Symptoms ==
The most common symptoms of COPD are sputum production, shortness of breath, and a productive cough. These symptoms are present for a prolonged period of time[15] and typically worsen over time. It is unclear if different types of COPD exist.[5] While previously divided into emphysema and chronic bronchitis, emphysema is only a description of lung changes rather than a disease itself, and chronic bronchitis is simply a descriptor of symptoms that may or may not occur with COPD.
== Home remedies ==
In patients with stable, moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), [[N-Acetyl Cysteine]] may help improve physical performance. For a 2009 study published in the journal Chest, 24 COPD patients took either N-acetylcysteine or a placebo daily for six weeks. After taking a two-break (in order to eliminate N-acetylcysteine from the bodies of participants in the treatment group), the study participants were switched over to the alternate therapy for an additional six weeks. Study results indicated that N-acetylcysteine helped improve several markers of respiratory health, such as lung capacity and exercise endurance.