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COPD Symptoms

Most people with COPD have smoked at least 10-20 cigarettes per day for 20 or more years before experiencing any symptoms. Thus, COPD is typically not diagnosed until the fifth decade of life (in people aged 40-49 years).
 
Common signs and symptoms of COPD are as follows:

• A productive cough or an acute
  
• Breathlessness or being short of breath (called dyspnea) is the most significant symptom, but it does not usually occur until the sixth decade of life (in people aged 50-59 years).
  
  
• Wheezing is a musical, whistling, or hissing sound with breathing. Some people may wheeze, especially during exertion and when their condition worsens. 

The following may occur as COPD worsens:

• Intervals between acute periods of worsening of dyspnea (exacerbations) become shorter.
  
  
• Cyanosis (discoloration of the skin) and failure of the right side of the heart may occur.
  
  
• Anorexia and weight loss often develop and suggest a worse prognosis.

The American Thoracic Society (ATS) recommends the following clinical staging of COPD severity according to lung function: 

• Stage I is FEV₁ of equal or more than 50% of the predicted value.
  
  
• Stage II is FEV₁ of 35-49% of the predicted value.
  
  
• Stage III is FEV₁ of less than 35% of the predicted value.