At just 9 years of age, Michael's sister offered him a cigarette. That was just the beginning. After more than three decades as a smoker, Michael was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — one of the leading causes of death in the United States.

If you have trouble breathing because of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), exercise might be the last thing on your mind. Be that as it may, exercise is crucial to your lung function and quality of life. So if you don't get up and get moving, you may be letting COPD take control of your life.

COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, affects patients’ ability to breathe. Often a result of smoking, COPD includes the conditions emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a long-term disease consisting of damage in the tissue of the lungs or in the airways. COPD encompasses two diseases - emphysema and chronic bronchitis - and is almost always the result of years of cigarette smoking. The disease is a common one. According to the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), more than 5 percent of American adults suffer from COPD. COPD tends to set in between ages 50 and 70. ACCP reports that numbers are highest among women between ages 65 and 74, with a 10.4 percent rate of COPD. Symptoms include sh...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of lung diseases that includes emphysema and chronic asthmatic bronchitis. As the airways are damaged in this group of diseases, airflow is blocked during exhalation and breathing becomes harder and harder.  

The American Lung Association (ALA) has released their State of the Air for 2012. Is the city you live in one of the best or worst when it comes to air pollution?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a lifelong disease with serious health and financial complications. Luckily, there is hope in new treatments for COPD .

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder ( COPD ) affects nearly 12 million Americans, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute ( NHLBI ), but there is still much to know about the disease. With COPD rates on the rise, the need to understand COPD is greater than ever.

It's the holidays and that means lots of families, food and cheer. It can also be a stressful time for people with allergies. Decorations, food, pets and even trees can trigger allergies, asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

"I stopped smoking years ago, but a lung-function test…showed that I had COPD," says actor and comedian Robert Klein. And that's the reality of smoking: every cigarette damages your lungs a little more and raises your risk of COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.