Literature Review

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly referred to as COPD, is a

group of progressive lung diseases. The most common
are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Many people with COPD have both of
these conditions. Emphysema slowly destroys air sacs in your lungs, which
interferes with outward air flow. The top cause of COPD is tobacco smoking. 
There’s no cure for it, but treatment can help ease symptoms, lower the
chance of complications, and generally improve quality of life. COPD makes it
harder to breathe. Symptoms may be mild at first, beginning with intermittent
coughing and shortness of breath. As it progresses, symptoms can become more
constant to where it can become increasingly difficult to breathe. Symptoms can
get progressively worse and harder to ignore as the lungs become more
damaged. There’s no single test for COPD. Diagnosis is based on symptoms, a
physical exam, and diagnostic test results. When you visit the doctor, be sure to
mention all of your symptoms Medications can reduce symptoms and cut down
on flare-ups. It may take some trial and error to find the medication and dosage
that works best. One measure of COPD is achieved by spirometry grading. There
are different grading systems, and one grading system is part of the GOLD
classification. The GOLD classification is used for determining COPD severity
and helping to form a prognosis and treatment plan.

There are four GOLD grades based on spirometry testing:

 grade 1: mild
 grade 2: moderate
 grade 3: severe
 grade 4: very severe

Worldwide, it’s estimated that about 65 millionTrusted Sourcepeople have moderate

to severe COPD. About 12 million adults in the United States have a diagnosis of
COPD. It’s estimated that 12 millionmore have the disease, but don’t know it yet.
 References

 https://www.healthline.com/health/copd#outlook