Chronic Pulmonary Obstructive Disease (otherwise known as COPD) affects 12 million Americans, and is the third leading cause of death in the United States. It’s a blanket term for progressive respiratory issues that affect your body’s ability to filter carbon dioxide from your system and replace it with oxygen.

COPD is an acronym for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It’s an umbrella diagnosis for any type of chronic respiratory disease that progresses over time. Essentially, it’s any chronic respiratory issue that constricts your ability to breathe, and gets worse with time. While there is no cure, there are ways to treat COPD. There are even ways to prevent it!

Usually, if something takes your breath away it’s a good thing, but not if COPD is the cause. Many people who experience increased breathlessness, frequent coughing, wheezing, or tightness in the chest, often mistake it as just a normal part of aging – when it can actually be related to lung diseases or disorders.