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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a slowly progressed disease characterized by chronic irreversible airway obstruction
with increased airway resistance and loss of elastic recoil by lung parenchymal destruction. COPD is a leading cause of
morbidity and mortality worldwide. COPD is defined as a preventable and treatable disease with some significant extrapulmonary
effects that may contribute to the severity in individual patients. Pathological changes characteristic of COPD are found in the proximal
airways, peripheral airways, lung parenchyma, and pulmonary vasculature, showing chronic inflammation, and structural
changes resulting from repeated injury and repair mostly caused by inhaled cigarette smoke. This pathological changes lead to airway
trapping and progressive airway limitation. (Korean J Med 77:383-400, 2009) |
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