Both the incidence of and the number of deaths from COPD are increasing. An estimated 16 million Americans suffered from COPD in 1995, and mortality with severe COPD may be as high as 60 percent at five years. Refrain from smoking and follow the American Lung Association’s recommendations to prevent and treat COPD.

1. Treat pulmonary infections.
2. Avoid sources of lung irritation. If the work environment contains large amounts of dust, fumes, and polluted air, it may be necessary to change jobs. Also, check weather reports for information about air quality and amounts of air pollution and restrict activity to early morning or evening on days when the ozone level is high. You may need to stay indoors when pollution levels are dangerous. If you have emphysema, take precautions in cold weather to warm the air that enters your already narrowed lung passages.
3. Give your lungs a regular workout. A therapist can help with breathing exercises to strengthen the muscles used in breathing as part of a pulmonary rehabilitation program.
4. Get vaccinated against influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia. And whenever possible, avoid exposure to colds and influenza at home or in public.
5. Get tested for genetic deficiencies. If you have several family members with emphysema, you may want to have genetic testing performed. An estimated 50,000 to 100,000 Americans with emphysema have a rare inherited form of the disease called alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency-related emphysema. This form of disease is caused by an inherited lack of the lung-protective protein alpha 1-antitrypsin. If you have an AAT deficiency, check with your doctor about AAT replacement therapy.