Related Health Conditions

Once you’ve agreed on a treatment plan with your doctor, the next step in managing your COPD is understanding how it may be affecting your general health. Keep in mind that people with COPD are at higher risk for other conditions, including lung infections like pneumonia and flu. Other conditions, many of which, like COPD, are common side effects of smoking, include elevated cholesterol levels and any of the following conditions:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Depression and anxiety

Having any one of these conditions may make your COPD harder to manage. If one or more of them is already part of your medical history, discuss each condition with your doctor. Mention any medications you may be taking and discuss how best to coordinate your treatment for each condition, including COPD. By the same token, be sure to ask your doctor about any other health conditions you may have now or may eventually experience as a result of your COPD.

If you’re already working with a doctor specializing in any additional conditions, share detailed information about your COPD treatment plan. As always, the most important way to manage your COPD is to consistently follow the treatment plan your doctor recommends.

Cardiovascular Disease

People with COPD are also at risk for cardiovascular disease. Because of the way your heart and lungs work together to bring oxygen into your system, the combination of COPD, which affects your lungs, and cardiovascular disease, which weakens your heart, can have a significant impact on your general health.

Pulmonary Hypertension

One possible result of COPD is secondary pulmonary hypertension, or increased pressure in your lung’s arteries. With pulmonary hypertension, your lungs work even less efficiently than with COPD alone. What’s more, pulmonary hypertension may lead to swelling in your legs and feet and may even cause a failure of the right side of your heart.

Depression and Anxiety

For many patients, the limits COPD places on their everyday lives may put them at risk for depression.They may experience feelings of frustration, helplessness, or hopelessness. And because the breathing difficulties they may experience are unpredictable and may be frightening, people with COPD are also at risk for anxiety.

More than just the passing moods we all experience, depression and anxiety are serious conditions requiring the attention of a qualified healthcare professional. If you find that your feelings of sadness or fear persist or intensify, talk to your doctor and seek out the counseling you need. You may also find that joining a COPD support group and sharing your experiences with others can help you gain a fresh perspective on your condition.

Weight Management

If you’re living with COPD, it’s important to talk to your doctor about the lifestyle changes you’ll need to make to maintain a healthy weight. COPD’s impact on weight management varies from person to person. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may become underweight.

For advice and tips about healthy eating, ask for your doctor’s recommendations and visit informative Web sites like MyPyramid.gov—the nutrition guide created by the United States Department of Agriculture. Like following the treatment plan recommended by your doctor, maintaining a healthy weight is a vital part of managing your COPD.

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