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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Q&As

Published by Bupa's health information team, November 2008.

Answers to questions about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

This section contains answers to common questions about this topic. Questions have been suggested by health professionals, website feedback and requests via email.

Should I exercise if I have COPD?

Why is diet important for people with COPD?

Is there anything I can do to help when I feel breathless?

What do the results of my spirometry test mean?

Should I exercise if I have COPD?

You should try to do as much exercise as you can if you have COPD, even if it makes you feel a little out of breath.

Explanation

If you have COPD, you may feel as if you don't want to do anything that will make you get even more out of breath. Many people with COPD reduce the amount of activity they do, because they worry that getting breathless can be dangerous. However, this isn't true. In fact, reducing the amount of activity you do can make things worse, as this will decrease your fitness and you will become breathless more quickly when you are active.

Taking regular, light exercise and gradually building up the amount you do can help to improve your breathing and make you feel better. It's safe to become a little short of breath, but don't overstrain yourself.

Try to adapt your lifestyle to keep as active as possible. If you're able to walk, try to walk for 20 to 30 minutes, three to four times a week. Try taking short walks, even if it's just around the house or up and down the garden. Don't worry if you get a little breathless, just take a break to get your breath back then start again. If you're unable to walk, your GP may advise you to do some upper body exercises, such as twisting and arm stretches.

Ask your GP if there are any pulmonary rehabilitation schemes in your area, which he or she can refer you to.

It's worth trying to keep as active as possible, as even a small amount of exercise can help people with severe lung problems.

Sources

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Clinical Knowledge Summaries. www.cks.library.nhs.uk, accessed 10 September 2008
• Exercise and the lungs. British Lung Foundation. www.lunguk.org, accessed 10 September 2008
• Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). British Lung Foundation. www.lunguk.org, accessed 10 September 2008

Why is diet important for people with COPD?

It's common to lose weight if you have COPD. Being underweight can make you feel weak and make it harder to fight off infections. On the other hand, being overweight means your heart and lungs have to work harder to supply oxygen to your body, making it harder to breathe.

Explanation

It's common to lose weight if you have COPD. There can be a number of reasons for this, including:

• you use up a lot of the energy you get from food with the increased effort of breathing
• you may not feel like eating so much if you are feeling breathless
• you absorb less nutrients than normal from your food

Being underweight can make you feel weak and tired, and put you at greater risk of chest infections, so it's more important than ever to maintain a healthy weight if you have COPD. The following tips can help if you're finding it hard to eat enough food.

• Eat little and often to stop getting breathless during long meals and to reduce the feeling of bloatedness.
• Aim for food that is high in protein - such as meat, fish and dairy products, but avoid sugary foods and foods that are high in fat.
• If you have lost your appetite, try to vary the type of foods you have, or have a high energy drink if you find it hard to eat anything.
• When cooking, make more food than you need to and freeze the extra - so you have a meal ready for days when you don't feel like cooking.
• Take advantage of meals offered by community centres, clubs or churches.
• Drink plenty of water, unless advised not to by your GP. This will help to keep the lining of your airways moist and the mucus thinner.

If you're very underweight, your doctor may give you nutritional supplements to help bring you back up to a healthy weight. Ask your GP for advice if you're unsure about your weight.

If you're overweight, try to eat smaller portions and increase the amount of exercise you do. However, it may not be good for you to lose weight too quickly. Ask your GP or dietitian for advice.

Further information

• British Lung Foundation
  08458 50 50 20
  www.lunguk.org

Sources

• Healthy eating and your lungs. British Lung Foundation. www.lunguk.org, accessed 10 September 2008
• National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: national clinical guideline on management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults in primary and secondary care. Thorax 2004; 59:i1-i6

Is there anything I can do to help when I feel breathless?

Yes. There are various different breathing techniques that can help you to cope if you get short of breath suddenly.

Explanation

If you get short of breath, the key thing is to try to relax and keep calm. Find a comfortable, supported position where you can relax your shoulders, arms and hands. This may mean sitting down, or finding something to lean against and support you, such as a chair, wall or windowsill.

Focus on breathing in gently through your nose and out through your nose or mouth.

If you tend to get out of breath when you're more active, try the following techniques.

• Focus on taking deep, slow breaths - in through your nose and out through your mouth.
• Purse your lips (as if you're whistling) - this slows your breathing down and helps to make your breathing more efficient.
• Breathe out whenever you do something that takes a lot of effort - such as going up a stair/step, bending down, standing up or reaching for something.
• Adjust your breathing so it's in time with whatever activity you're doing (eg going up the stairs or walking). For instance, breathe in when you're on a stair and out as you step up to the next one.

A physiotherapist should be able to teach you breathing control and exercises.

Further information

• British Lung Foundation
  08458 50 50 20
  www.lunguk.org

Sources

• Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). British Lung Foundation. www.lunguk.org, accessed 10 September 2008

What do the results of my spirometry test mean?

Your GP will measure how much air you can blow out in one breath, and also how quickly you can blow the air out. This will help to find out if you have COPD or any other breathing problems.

Explanation

The measurements that your doctor will take during the spirometry test are called the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and the forced vital capacity (FVC).

• The FEV1 is the amount of air you can blow out in one second.
• The FVC is the total amount of air that you can blow out in one breath.

Your GP will also use these measurements to work out the proportion of your total breath that you can blow out in one second. This is the FEV1 divided by FVC (FEV1/FVC).

The three measurements can help your GP to find out whether you have COPD or any other breathing problems. He or she will compare the values you get with those that would be expected for someone of your age, height and sex.

If you have COPD, you will not be able to blow air out as quickly as someone who doesn't have the disease. This means that your:

• FEV1 will be lower than normal (below 80 percent of what would be expected), as you cannot blow out as much air in one second
• FEV1/FVC will be low (below 0.7, when the highest number you can have is 1) - as you can only breathe out a small proportion of the total amount of air in your lungs, in one second

The smaller your values for FEV1 and FEV1/FVC, the more severe your COPD is likely to be. Ask your GP to explain what your results mean.

Sources

• National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: national clinical guideline on management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults in primary and secondary care. Thorax 2004; 59:i1- i6

Related topics

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.

Publication date: November 2008

		Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) factsheet Visit the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) health factsheet for more information.

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