What are the possible causes of COPD?

The most common causes, responsible for 99 percent of all COPD cases, are:

Cigarette smoking

The primary factor of COPD is chronic tobacco smoking. In the United States, 90 percent of cases of COPD are due to smoking. This isn't a rule saying that all smokers develop COPD, but smokers have at least a 25 percent greater risk of developing this disease than non-smokers. Keep this in mind every time you light a cigarette, and quit while you can!

Occupational pollutants

Certain occupational pollutants, such as cadmium and silica, can also contribute to the development of COPD. People at highest risk of developing COPD for occupational reasons include coal workers, construction workers, metal workers and cotton workers, among others.  

Air pollution

Urban air pollution may be a contributing factor for COPD, as it is thought to impair the development of the lung function. In developing countries indoor air pollution, usually due to biomass fuel, has been linked to COPD, especially in women.

Genetics

Very rarely, there may be a deficiency in an enzyme known as alpha 1-antitrypsin, which causes a form of COPD.

Other risk factors

Increasing age, male sex, allergy, repeated airway infection, and general impaired lung function are also related to the development of COPD.

Functional Impairment in COPD Patients

Is there a link between some functional impairments and COPD, and how strong is it? Research has confirmed that there is a strong relation between functional status and comorbid anxiety and depression in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).  The study has been conducted on 43 male veterans with COPD who also suffered from anxiety, depression, and functional status impairment. It was concluded that their COPD contributed to their depression and anxiety. Also, anxiety and depression contributed significantly to the overall variance in functional status of COPD patients. Unfortunately, only a few of the patients were receiving any treatment for anxiety or depression. That is a great shame, considering that treating anxiety and depression enhances a person's quality of life and may even alleviate some COPD symptoms.

Do anxiety and depression impact patients with COPD?

Certain studies have found that psychosocial factors, such as being widowed or divorced, were closely related to relapses in male patients with COPD. We can assume that, if psychological factors predicted outcome emergency treatment of patients with acute exacerbations of obstructive pulmonary disease, there is a strong link between the two.

There is also one other study which included several patients observed after the initial emergency treatment for COPD. The psychological status of each patient was assessed four weeks after the initial emergency treatment. The hospital anxiety and depression (HAD) questionnaire was used, and the study has shown that approximately 40 percent of these patients were identified by the HAD questionnaire as having anxiety and/or depression. Not only were these patients diagnosed with anxiety and depression, but their primary disease, COPD, was much more serious. They were significantly more likely to be admitted to the hospital or to have a relapse within a month of the initial emergency department visit.