Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chest X-ray showing emphysema	Flow volume curve in emphysema

General Information on COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is an umbrella term for two respiratory illnesses - chronic obstructive bronchitis and/or emphysema. There are 16 million Americans who have been diagnosed with COPD, of whom 14 million have chronic bronchitis and 2 million have emphysema. COPD results primarily from smoking tobacco. Smoking causes damage to the airways and the lungs. This lung damage continues to progress with the use of tobacco. Average current and former smokers will likely not notice or acknowledge symptoms for several years as this is a slowly progressing disease, characterized by a decreased ability of the lungs to provide the body's oxygen demand and remove carbon dioxide.

Affected individuals typically notice their first symptoms (shortness of breath) when they reach their 40s or 50s. However, earlier signs of COPD are often present. These include chronic cough and increased mucus production. Recognizing these early signs is important because lifestyle modifications, such as smoking cessation and avoidance of respiratory irritants, may prevent additional damage to the airways.

COPD affects the patient’s quality of life significantly. Patients alter their lifestyles because they become short of breath after minimal exertion. Physical activities take longer to complete. Also, fatigue, frustration and depression can become a problem.

The clinicians and scientists at the University of Miami’ Division of Pulmonary Medicine have a special interest in treating and studying this disorder.

Research/Clinical Trials for COPD Treatment

We have active research programs in both basic and clinical sciences for COPD. Basic research aims at studying the mechanism of excessive mucus production that characterizes chronic bronchitis and the role of airway cells in defending themselves against damage. We are currently also performing clinical trials testing different combinations of inhaled bronchodilators and oral formulations of medications (click here for more information).

If you have COPD and you are interested in participating in one of our clinical trials, please call us at: 305 243 2568

Note: information is subject to change.