- The alveoli become thick or inflamed
- The bronchioles become clogged with mucus, meaning that less air is taken in and expelled
What Are The Signs?
Many patients aren’t diagnosed with COPD until the disease is in its later stages, because they are unfamiliar with, or choose to ignore, the signs and symptoms, or because symptoms don’t become apparent until the disease has progressed. Among the early warning signs of COPD, The American Lung Association outlines that patients may experience:
- Chronic cough
- Shortness of breath while performing daily activities
- Frequent, recurrent respiratory infections
- Cyanosis, or a blue tinge in the lips or fingernails
- Chronic fatigue
- Producing large amounts of mucus
- A wheezing cough