Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung
illness. It makes it hard to breathe because the tubes
that carry air to and from your lungs are partly blocked.
In the U.S., the term COPD includes:
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Chronic bronchitis – when the airway to the lungs is
swollen, causing coughing and thick mucus.
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Emphysema – swollen, damaged lungs that make it
hard to breathe.
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Mixtures of both chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Most people with COPD smoke or used to
smoke. Breathing in other lung irritants like dust
or chemicals over a long period of time can also
cause COPD.
Signs of COPD include:
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Constant coughing, sometimes called “smoker’s cough.”
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Shortness of breath during simple tasks.
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Making extra fuid from the lungs or windpipe that you
cough up.
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Not being able to take a deep breath.
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Wheezing.
When COPD is very bad, shortness of breath and
other symptoms can get in the way of doing simple
things – like walking or getting dressed. Be sure to tell
your doctor as soon as possible if you have any of the
signs, no matter how mild they seem.
You can be tested for COPD with spirometry (spear-
om-it-tree). This test can fnd COPD before it gets too
bad. It’s one of the best and easiest lung tests.
The test measures how well your lungs work. It
records the amount of air you can blow out of your lungs
and how fast you can blow the air out. The test results
can help your doctor plan the best treatment to help you
breathe better.
Source: National Institutes of Health website: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/
public/lung/copd/what-is-copd/index.htm
Do you or someone in your family:
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Wheeze sometimes?
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Feel chest tightness?
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Have an early morning or bedtime cough?
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Seem out of breath when it’s not expected?
These may be signs of asthma, a long-term lung
disease. If you have asthma, you have it all of the
time – even when you do not have symptoms. If you
learn what to do and get help from your doctor, you can
help make your asthma attacks a thing of the past.
How to manage asthma
You can take control with three key steps:
1
Know what things make your asthma worse and
avoid those triggers. Triggers are different for
different people. Common triggers include:
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Smoke (including tobacco and secondhand smoke)
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Air pollution
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Dust mites
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Cockroaches and their droppings
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Furry pets
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Mold
2
See your doctor and take prescribed drugs in
the right way at the right time. Be sure you take
prescriptions exactly as your doctor tells you to.
Could you
have asthma?
Take action so you can breathe easier!
A simple test for COPD
3
Create an action plan with your doctor to control
your asthma. This plan should be reviewed when
you see your doctor to make sure it stays up-to-date.
Go to www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/lung/
asthma/asthma_actplan.pdf for a sample action
plan. Look on the back for a list of possible asthma
triggers and ways to avoid them.
Take control of your asthma. You’ll fnd you can breathe
a little easier and enjoy life!
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: CDC.gov; National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website: Asthma Action Plan (April 2007):
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/lung/asthma/asthma_actplan.pdf
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Order a new member ID card.
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Get other specifc information.
Or you can refer to your Member Handbook to
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These include benefts that may not be covered if
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If you need a copy of the information on
the web or in your Member Handbook, call us at
1-888-279-1227.
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call the TTY line at
1-800-947-3529.
My Health · 5