CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD)

A. COPD, Emphysema and Chronic Bronchitis are overlapping conditions, but they are not the same. Chronic Bronchitis is diagnosed clinically when a person has a productive cough most days of the month, three months of a year for two consecutive years without any other alternate diagnosis. Emphysema is on the other hand a condition which can only be diagnosed pathologically when there exists a permanent dilatation and destruction of the airspaces beyond the terminal bronchiole. COPD on the other hand, stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which is a preventable and treatable disease, which is characterised by persistent airflow obstruction, which is generally progressive and associated with an enhanced chronic inflammatory response to noxious particles and gases, particularly cigarette smoking. Most patients diagnosed as COPD have Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema and majority of the patients with Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema have airflow limitation and thus COPD. Hence even though there is considerable overlap between the three diseases, they are not the same.