WHO > Health topics > Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung ailment that is characterized by a persistent blockage of airflow from the lungs. It is an under-diagnosed, life-threatening lung disease that interferes with normal breathing and is not fully reversible. The more familiar terms of chronic bronchitis and emphysema are no longer used; they are now included within the COPD diagnosis.


GENERAL INFORMATION

Fact sheet on COPD

Q&A: What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?

World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Day

MULTIMEDIA

Feature: chronic lung disease

RELATED TOPICS

Tobacco
Chronic diseases

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Causes of COPD

Burden of COPD

- More about COPD

PUBLICATIONS

Global surveillance, prevention and control: a comprehensive approach

Prevention and control of CRD at country level [pdf 208kb]

- More publications on COPD


WHO PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES

Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion

Global Alliance against Respiratory Diseases (GARD)
CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE IN WHO REGIONS

African Region
Region of the Americas
European Region
Eastern Mediterranean Region
Western Pacific Region
South-East Asian Region