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Home > Services > Lung & Respiratory Care > COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
If you have possible COPD symptoms, Rutland Regional Medical Center’s specialized Pulmonary and Respiratory Health team will work with you to diagnose and manage your condition.
Our board-certified pulmonologists and registered respiratory therapists work together to help you breathe better. If you have signs of COPD, ask your doctor for a referral to the Rutland Pulmonary Center and call 802.775.2036.
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) refers to a group of long-term diseases that cause lung damage and breathing problems.
When your lungs are damaged, the air sacs can get stretched out, collapsed, swollen, or over-filled with air. This damage to your lungs makes it hard to breathe and may cause you to wheeze and feel tired. Over time, lung damage from COPD can make certain daily activities harder.
This is a disease of the lungs. It usually involves two lung conditions: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD makes breathing difficult. It can interfere with your ability to be active. This disease gets worse over time, but it can be managed.
Emphysema destroys the walls and fibers of the air sacs in the lungs. Over time, the air sacs lose their shape, causing shortness of breath.
Chronic bronchitis causes your airway walls to swell, the bronchial tubes to tighten, and mucus to clog the airway.
COPD is usually caused by smoking. Cigarette smoke causes lung damage which seriously affects your quality of life.
Smoking and secondhand smoke cause up to 90% of COPD cases.
Research shows that genes can put you at risk for COPD. A genetic defect called Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) causes emphysema at a younger age, especially in smokers.
Exposure to air pollution (like toxic fumes and factory smoke) at home or at work can cause COPD.
Respiratory infections can make COPD symptoms worse, but do not cause COPD.
Your doctor will start by talking with you about your medical history, family history, symptoms, and potential exposures to lung irritants – especially smoking. They will then order tests to diagnose your condition.
Tests include:
The Rutland Community Collaborative (RCC) created Patient Education Journals to provide information and guidance for individuals diagnosed with specific conditions.
Download the COPD Journal (pdf)
COPD is a long-term disease that can cause serious health problems and early death – but is often preventable and treatable. According to the American Lung Association, more than 12.5 million people have been diagnosed with COPD, and many more have the disease without knowing it. There is no cure, but there is a lot we can do to manage the disease including:
The Rutland Pulmonary Center’s expert team will work with you to create a care plan that fits your personal needs. We will also provide COPD assessments to monitor the state of your disease over time and update your care plan as needed.
Rutland Regional Medical Center’s pulmonary rehabilitation program can help you manage your COPD symptoms. Our personalized eight-week program provides exercise and education to help improve your quality of life.
As part of your ongoing care with the Rutland Pulmonary Center, we will complete an action plan with you and discuss your plan at each visit. Your action plan will help you track your symptoms and take appropriate action based on how you’re feeling each day. Download a COPD Action Plan to learn more.
802.775.2036
