Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has described Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) as a global epidemic; an estimated 210 million people have COPD worldwide and more than 3 million people died of the condition in 2005, which is equal to 5% of all deaths globally that year. Total deaths from COPD are projected to increase by more than 30% in the next 10 years without interventions to cut risks, particularly exposure to tobacco smoke.

What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an assortment of lung disorders that includes...

What are the Differences between Asthma and COPD?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Management

History of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Types of Inhalers in Pulmonary Disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Process

Contemporary Topics in Pulmonary Medicine

COPD Risk Factors

Pulmonary Function Tests in COPD Progression Monitoring

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Causes

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Symptoms

Phenotyping of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Diagnosis

Latest Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease News and Research

Walking remains highly beneficial for COPD patients in polluted environments

Regular walking reduces symptom flare ups for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, even if they live in an area with poor air quality, according to a study published in ERJ Open Research.

5 Oct 2026

Blood markers linked to healthy eating may reflect more than food choices

Researchers analyzed dietary data from 204,938 UK Biobank participants and identified blood protein and metabolite profiles associated with adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet. These profiles showed stronger links to several health outcomes and modeled life expectancy than the diet score, but the observational study cannot establish that the diet caused those differences.

28 Sep 2026

New mRNA vaccine expands flu protection options for older adults

Every fall, millions of Americans heed the call to get their annual flu shot. Getting vaccinated reduces the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from influenza.

20 Sep 2026

Wildfire smoke may be more harmful than other air pollution, two Mount Sinai studies find

As climate change drives more frequent and intense wildfires, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have published two large-scale studies showing that wildfire smoke may pose greater health risks than other sources of air pollution, with higher risks of hospitalization for cardiovascular and respiratory disease and poorer survival among patients with lung cancer.

18 Sep 2026

Wildfire smoke poses greater health risks than other pollution

17 Sep 2026

Lung Facts updated with latest evidence on respiratory disease across 21 countries

The International Respiratory Coalition (IRC) has updated its Lung Facts platform with the latest evidence on the burden of respiratory disease across 21 countries, providing policymakers, clinicians and patient advocates with updated data to drive national-level policy action on lung health.

16 Sep 2026

Nighttime coughing could be due to air pollution levels, research suggests

Has your partner ever woken you up at night with their coughing? Has your coughing ever woken them up? New research suggests it could be due to air pollution levels in your area, even if those levels are low.

15 Sep 2026

Tirzepatide vs semaglutide for asthma: the difference was smaller than researchers expected

In a US multicenter electronic health record study, researchers compared tirzepatide with semaglutide in adults with asthma and type 2 diabetes, matching 8,176 patients in each treatment group. Asthma exacerbation risk was similar between treatments, while tirzepatide was associated with a lower likelihood of receiving a short-acting beta-agonist prescription.

14 Sep 2026

High-dose flu vaccine protects older adults with lung disease

The risk of being hospitalized for flu or pneumonia can be reduced with a high-dose flu vaccine for older people with chronic lung disease, according to the combined results of two large clinical trials presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

8 Sep 2026

New biologic therapy significantly reduces COPD flare-ups in trials

Two international clinical trials led in part by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that the investigational biologic therapy tozorakimab significantly reduced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) flare-ups among patients already receiving standard treatment for the disease compared to patients only receiving standard treatment.

8 Sep 2026

Laughter therapy eases breathlessness in people with COPD

A clinical trial for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) shows that laughter therapy can reduce breathing difficulties and is as effective as more traditional breathing exercises. The research is presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

6 Sep 2026

Genetic COPD risk emerges early with higher air pollution

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious, incurable lung disease that is common in older people.

6 Sep 2026

Emergency diagnoses of medical conditions predict worse patient survival

Patients diagnosed with conditions after an emergency hospital admission or an emergency room visit face a higher risk of death than those diagnosed in non-emergency settings, according to a large population-based study by Emma Whitfield and colleagues from University College London, UK, published August 25th in the open access journal PLOS Medicine.

25 Aug 2026

This 29-year heart study tracked what happens after smokers quit

Long-term data from the Copenhagen City Heart Study linked both current and former smoking with a higher risk of sudden cardiac death, with risk rising alongside cumulative smoking exposure. Among former smokers, risk generally declined with longer time since quitting and approached that of never smokers only after prolonged abstinence.

20 Aug 2026

SwRI researchers design better inhalers for young children

A Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) project is developing techniques to improve inhalers for young children and other people who can't inhale deeply.

11 Aug 2026

Tadalafil may increase glaucoma risk in men with enlarged prostates

An erectile dysfunction drug that is also used to treat symptoms like sudden urgency and frequency, which are associated with an enlarged prostate in men, may heighten the risk of the serious eye condition, glaucoma, finds a large comparative study published online in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

4 Aug 2026

Latest hospital rankings place NYU Langone Health at the very top

NYU Langone Health continues to have the most No. 1-ranked specialties and the most top-10 ranked specialties among medical centers in the United States, according to the rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report.

4 Aug 2026

Cigarette smoke extract primes airway cells for greater nanoplastic damage

Researchers found that cigarette smoke extract weakened epithelial barriers and increased the proportion of human airway cells that were polystyrene nanoparticle-positive. Sequential treatment caused greater metabolic disruption and increased mucus-producing cells, suggesting heightened epithelial vulnerability, although the findings are limited to in vitro models.

30 Jul 2026

Inhaler misuse linked to cognitive impairment and poor manual dexterity

Cognitive function, hand dexterity, and breathing ability play an important role in helping people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) use their inhalers correctly, according to a new study.

9 Jul 2026

Early voice changes may signal asthma and COPD flare-ups

Daily voice recordings reveal early signs of asthma and COPD exacerbations, suggesting voice analysis could enhance remote monitoring and treatment timing.

6 Jul 2026