Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is smoking. The more smoke a person, more likely to have develop COPD, although some people smoke for years and never suffer from this disease. read more

The best test for COPD is a simple test of lung function called spirometry, which involves blowing with as much force as you can within a small machine that evaluates lung capacity. The results can be analyzed immediately and the exam does not exercise, blood samples or radiation exposure.

Use a stethoscope to listen to the lungs also may serve, however, sometimes the lungs sound normal even when COPD is present.

Images of the lungs (such as x-rays and CT scans) can be useful, but sometimes appear normal even when a person has COPD (especially chest x-ray).

Sometimes, patients need done (called arterial blood gas) blood test to measure the amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. see more info