Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung disease that causes irreversible restrictions on the airflow to the lungs. The major cause of this disease is cigarette smoking. This disease usually develops slowly over the course of a long period of time. A cigarette smoker generally experiences declining lung function for a long time before COPD is diagnosed or treated. While the disease is developing inside the lungs, the lungs are subjected to a complete change. Both emphysema and chronic bronchitis can occur and cause blockages to the airways, creating mucus and inflammatory cells which get in the way of the oxygen that is trying to get into the lungs. The structure of the lungs is damaged and the ability to repair cells may deteriorate causing less efficiency in the lungs.

Scar tissue can form on the lungs and cigarette smoke aggravates the lung cells. The toxins in the smoke can cause the immune system cells to release chemicals and produce more immune system cells. This process carries on but the chemicals released damage the lungs. These changes usually take a long time to appear. Symptoms can include breathlessness, wheezing and even muscle weakness. Cigarette smoking is the foremost cause although some people are even more susceptible to this illness due to genetic abnormalities.

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