The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) argued that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. It has been estimated that this disease kills over 3 million people annually around the world. Each over, more than 16 million Americans end up being hospitalized due to COPD.

The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease develops slowly and its symptoms deteriorate over time. People who have the condition might not experience any symptoms at the beginning. However, it’s crucial to prevent and treat the condition in its early stages in order to lower the risk of serious lung damage, heart failure and respiratory issues. 

One of the most important things when it comes to COPD is to recognize the risk factors which lead to this disease. Here are some of the most common risk factors for this condition.

Smoking

Smoking is the main risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In fact, smoking is held responsible for 90% of COPD deaths. This terrible habit increases your risk of developing COPD for 13% than people who have never smoked in their life. What’s more, long-term exposure to tobacco is even more dangerous and significantly increases the risk of developing COPD. This also applies to secondhand smoke, pipe and cigar smoking. What’s so terrible about secondhand smoke is that the person is exposed to both the smoke from burning tobacco and smoke exhaled by the person smoking.

Occupational Dust and Chemicals

Your airways and lungs can become irritated and inflamed due to long-term exposure to industrial dust, chemicals, and gases. The occupational dust and chemicals increase the risk of developing COPD and this is especially true for people whose profession requires exposure to dust and chemical vapors. Such professions include grain handlers, coal miners, and metal molders.

Air Pollution

There are other risk factors for COPD besides occupational dust and chemicals and smoking. The risk of developing this condition increases due to indoor and outdoor pollutants. Indoor air pollution includes particulate matter from the smoke of solid fuel used for cooking and heating, such as burning coal or biomass, poorly ventilated wood stoves, or cooking with fire.

Likewise, being exposed to environmental pollution has a detrimental effect. Now a days, urban air pollution like traffic and combustion-related pollution has a detrimental effect on the health of people worldwide.

Genetics

There are some rare cases where people who have never smoked or been exposed to pollutants to develop COPD. The condition can happen in people who lack the protein alpha 1 (α1) -antitrypsin (AAT). It has been estimated that 100,000 have AAT deficiency. However, the deficiency is rarely discovered. Besides AAT deficiency, there are several other genes involved in the disease process.

Age

Last but not least, people who are over 40 are more susceptible to developing COPD. This is especially true for people who have a long history of smoking. That’s why as you age you have to undertake a number of precaution steps to stay healthy. 

Now when you know what the risk factors for developing COPD are, make sure to consult your physician, especially if you’re a long-term smoker, over 40, or have family members with the disease. Diagnosing the condition on time is crucial for successful treatment.