COPD and emphysema

For a lay person:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term lung condition that makes it hard to breathe out fully, and emphysema is a part of it in which the tiny air sacs in the lungs are damaged. It causes breathlessness, especially on exertion, cough and wheezing, which slowly worsen over years. It is mostly caused by smoking and is not curable, but treatment and stopping smoking help a lot.

For a trained medical person:

COPD is persistent, usually progressive airflow limitation from chronic airway inflammation and alveolar destruction (emphysema), caused mainly by tobacco smoke, with biomass smoke, occupational exposure and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency as other causes. Diagnosis requires post-bronchodilator spirometry showing FEV1/FVC below 0.7 with compatible symptoms. Management is smoking cessation, inhaled long-acting bronchodilators (LAMA/LABA, with inhaled corticosteroids for eosinophilic or frequent exacerbators), pulmonary rehabilitation, vaccination, oxygen for chronic hypoxaemia and treatment of exacerbations.

In Chinese medicine:

Liu and Tseng's textbook differentiates this condition into these patterns: Phlegm-Heat Type; Excess Wheezing; Stabilized Period. Treatment follows the pattern a patient presents with, not the Western diagnosis alone.

When to get help: Seek emergency care for severe breathlessness, blue lips, confusion or drowsiness, or chest pain. COPD needs medical treatment and Chinese medicine is adjunctive at most; do not stop prescribed inhalers.