What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a chronic, irreversible obstruction of air flow from the lungs that includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and a range of other lung disorders. The two main types of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are chronic obstructive bronchitis and emphysema.

How do members experience chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

Top 5 symptoms reported by people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease*

*Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.

Top treatments taken by people for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease*

*Data from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Compare treatments taken by people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease*

Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment

(Albuterol Inhaler)
Perceived effectiveness
for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (8 evaluations)
Side effects
burning mouth syndrome
Total evaluations
8
Tried for
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (10)
Treatment

(Prednisone Intensol)
Perceived effectiveness
for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2 evaluations)
Side effects
hunger
Total evaluations
2
Tried for
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (8)
Treatment

(transtracheal oxygen)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2)
Treatment

(Pulmicort)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (1)
Treatment

(Flovent)
Perceived effectiveness
for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (1)

*Data from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on PatientsLikeMe?

Age

Age Proportion # of patients
<20 1
20s 25
30s 111
40s 344
50s 1,376
60s 3,128
70+ 3,851

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 2,282
Female 6,560