What is COPD?
COPD is a term that covers a few lung conditions, including:
- Emphysema
- Chronic bronchitis
It’s a lung condition that will progress over time. The tubes in your lungs (your airways) can become narrower, which can make breathing more difficult. Sometimes, air can get trapped in your lungs, making you feel breathless. COPD is a long-term condition, and while treatments can help, the changes to your airways are usually permanent.
While we can’t cure it yet, with the right diagnosis and treatment, you can do many things to manage it and breathe easier. People can live for many years with COPD and still enjoy a good life.
About 1 in 5 people with COPD also have asthma. People with COPD and asthma need different treatment than people who only have asthma or COPD.
How common is COPD?
COPD is a lung condition that affects many men and women. Around 1 in 13 people over 40 have it, and surprisingly, almost half don’t know it yet. Indigenous Australians are 2.2 times more likely to be affected. It’s important to remember that COPD isn’t contagious.1,2,3
What can I expect?
Everyone experiences COPD differently. In the early stages, some people might not notice any differences in their lives or how they feel. Others need more help to live independently, especially when symptoms flare up or as the disease gets worse. It’s normal to experience changes in your mood and to feel down or worried. There are support services that can help, like pulmonary rehabilitation and support groups These can help you learn about your condition and improve your wellbeing. Learn more about what to expect from a COPD diagnosis from our blog.
My COPD checklist
Use our checklist as a quick and easy way to understand which parts of your COPD care are going well and where you can improve. You’ll get a personalised report with tips to help you manage your condition better or support someone you love.
Access our COPD checklist online
Respiratory care nurse
Our Respiratory Care Nurse phone service is for people living with COPD or bronchiectasis. Our nurse can give you advice about your condition, based on the latest guidelines. To make a free phone appointment, call the Information and Support Centre on 1800 654 301. It’s a free call from landlines and most mobiles in Australia. Alternatively, you can use the link below to book online.
Sources
- Toelle, B., Xuan, W., Bird, T., et al. (2013). Respiratory symptoms and illness in older Australians: The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study. Medical Journal of Australia, 198:144-148.
- Xuan, W., Toelle, B., Bird, T., et al. (2011). Prevalence of respiratory symptoms, illnesses and spirometric diagnoses in the Australian BOLD study. Respirology, 16: 51.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2024. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework: summary report August 2024. AIHW: Australian Government. Accessed 24 February 2025.
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