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:
The following may occur as COPD worsens:
The American Thoracic Society (ATS) recommends the following clinical staging of COPD severity according to lung function:
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a devastating disorder that causes a huge degree of human suffering.
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