AgePage

National Institute on Aging

Understanding Lung 

Problems—Make 

Each Breath Healthy

Lupe has smoked for over 45 years. This year 

she started having trouble keeping up with her 

3-year-old grandson without gasping for air. 

She can no longer work in her garden without 

having coughing fits. Sometimes Lupe feels 

out of breath strolling through the market. Yet, 

Lupe was surprised when her doctor said she 

had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 

Every day you breathe in and out nearly 

20,000 times. That’s a lot of work for 

your lungs. Over time your likelihood of 

having a serious lung problem increases, 

especially if you smoke. 

Lung problems that are more common 

among older people include: 

F Chronic obstructive pulmonary 

disease

F Pneumonia

F Lung cancer
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary 

Disease (COPD)

COPD is a disease that makes it hard 

to breathe. There are two main types of

COPD: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. 

Symptoms Of COPD

Shortness of breath is one of the most 

common symptoms of COPD. People 

who have COPD may feel like their chest 

is so tight that they cannot breathe. They 

may cough a lot. The coughing may or 

may not produce sticky, slimy mucus. 

COPD can also cause wheezing. 

These problems develop slowly and 

get worse over time. For example, at first 

someone with COPD might only have 

trouble catching his or her breath when 

being physically active. But over time, the

shortness of breath may occur even when

resting. COPD can lead to other problems 

like creating strain on the heart, which 

can result in swollen ankles, feet, or legs. 

In advanced stages of COPD, people can 

have blue lips because they do not have 

enough oxygen in their blood.

In older adults, COPD can sometimes 

be confused with asthma. If you have 

shortness of breath, wheezing, or other 

problems breathing, your doctor will be 

able to tell if you have COPD, asthma, or 

another condition. 
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Causes Of COPD

COPD is often caused by smoking. 

Breathing secondhand smoke (someone 

else’s smoke), air pollution, chemical 

fumes, a lot of dust, or other things that 

bother the lungs and airways over time 

can also cause COPD. Some people may 

have a genetic condition that increases 

their chance of getting COPD. 

Tests For COPD

If you have symptoms of COPD, see

your doctor right away. Your doctor may

test your lungs and how well you breathe,

look at your lungs, or do other exams. 

Your doctor might also send you to a 

pulmonologist, a doctor who specializes 

in lung problems. 

Treatment For COPD

There is no cure for COPD. But, there

are things people with COPD can do to

feel better. Most important, do not smoke.

Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. 

If you stop smoking, you may breathe 

more easily and could add years to your 

life. It’s never too late to quit smoking!

If you have COPD, your doctor 

might prescribe an inhaler. This is a 

device that gets medicine right into 

your lungs. Your doctor might suggest 

a special exercise program. Also, you 

can learn breathing techniques and 

other tricks to help you stay active. If 
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your COPD gets worse, you might need 

to receive extra oxygen. In rare cases, 

surgery may help. People with COPD 

can protect themselves by getting shots 

to prevent the flu and pneumonia. 

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection of one or 

both of your lungs. 

Symptoms Of Pneumonia

People who have pneumonia may 

have a fever, chills, trouble breathing, 

and a cough with mucus. They may feel 

sick to their stomach. Pneumonia can 

make people feel very tired, even after 

other symptoms go away. 

Pneumonia can be mild or severe. For

some older people, pneumonia can be a 

serious problem. It can take 3 weeks or 

longer before they feel better and over a 

month before they stop feeling tired. 

Causes Of Pneumonia

Pneumonia is caused by germs like 

bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It is most 

common in the winter months. Your 

chance of getting pneumonia goes up 

if you smoke or drink a lot of alcohol. 

Some people come in contact with germs 

that cause pneumonia during a hospital 

stay or at their nursing home. These 

people may already have health problems, 

so pneumonia can be very serious. 
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Tests For Pneumonia

Your doctor may be able to tell if

you have pneumonia by doing a physical 

exam, taking an x-ray of your chest, 

collecting a blood sample, or doing 

other tests. 

Treatment For Pneumonia

Mild cases of pneumonia can sometimes be treated at home. If you have a 

mild case of pneumonia, your doctor will 

likely prescribe pills to fight the germs 

causing the infection. Take the medicine 

exactly as your doctor tells you, even if 

you are feeling better. 

Sometimes pneumonia must be treated 

in the hospital. Along with medication, you 

may receive oxygen and other treatments 

to help you breathe. 

Prevent Pneumonia

Pneumonia can be very serious and 

even life-threatening. Take steps to 

prevent pneumonia: 

F Talk to your doctor about shots for 

the flu and pneumonia.

F Wash your hands with soap and water. 

F Cover your nose and mouth when you 

sneeze or cough; throw out tissues and 

wash your hands right away.

F Keep yourself healthy by getting 

plenty of rest, making healthy food 

choices, and being active.

F Don’t smoke.
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Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of 

cancer death in the United States. 

Symptoms Of Lung Cancer

Common signs of lung cancer include:

F A cough that does not go away and 

gets worse over time

F Constant chest pain

F Coughing up blood

F Problems with breathing, wheezing, 

or hoarseness

F Repeated problems with pneumonia

F Swelling of the neck and face

F Loss of appetite or weight loss

F Feeling very tired

These symptoms may be caused by 

lung cancer or other health problems. 

Do not wait until you feel pain. See your 

doctor right away. Studies show that 

starting treatment for lung cancer early 

leads to better results.

Tests For Lung Cancer

It takes several steps to diagnose lung 

cancer. Your doctor may ask questions 

about your family and medical history and

do a physical exam. He or she may take

an x-ray or other type of picture of your 

chest to look for spots on the lungs. In 

addition, your doctor may look for cancer

cells in mucus coughed up from your 
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lungs. To confirm whether or not you 

have lung cancer, your doctor must look 

at a small sample of fluid or tissue taken 

from your lungs, called a biopsy. 

Treatment For Lung Cancer

Your treatment is based on the type of 

lung cancer you have and whether or not 

it has spread to other parts of the body. It 

also depends on your general health. 

Sometimes surgery can remove most 

or all of the cancer. If the cancer has 

spread to other parts of the body, other 

treatments using anti-cancer drugs, 

radiation, or lasers may be best for 

killing cancer cells and shrinking tumors. 

Researchers continue to search for 

new ways to treat and prevent lung 

cancer. The best way to lower your 

chance of having lung cancer is to quit 

or never start smoking. 

Aging With Asthma

Zafar just celebrated his 71st birthday. He 

has had asthma since he was a little boy, 

but it never stopped Zafar from blowing out 

all the candles on the cake. He knows how 

to control his asthma very well. However, 

during a checkup, Dr. Lee told Zafar that 

the medicine he takes for high blood pressure 

might interfere with his asthma medicine. 

Dr. Lee worked with Zafar to make a new 

plan for managing his asthma. 
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Many people live long, healthy lives 

with asthma. But, some medicines (for 

example, beta-blockers or aspirin) used 

to treat age-related health issues can 

interfere with your asthma treatment or 

even make your asthma worse. Be sure 

to tell your doctor all the medicines you 

take, including medicines you get overthe-counter, without a prescription. 

Don’t Hold Your Breath

Make each breath a healthy one. If 

you smoke, learn about ways to quit. If 

you have trouble breathing, see your 

doctor right away. 

For More Information

Here are some helpful resources: 

American College of Chest Physicians

3300 Dundee Road

Northbrook, IL 60062-2348

1-847-498-1400

1-800-343-2227 (toll-free) 

www.chestnet.org

American Lung Association

1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Suite 800

Washington, DC 20004

1-202-785-3355

1-800-548-8252 (lung helpline, toll-free)

www.lungusa.org
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National Cancer Institute

6116 Executive Boulevard

Suite 300

Bethesda, MD 20892-8322

1-800-422-6237 (1-800-4-CANCER, 

toll-free)

www.cancer.gov

National Heart, Lung, and Blood 

Institute

P.O. Box 30105

Bethesda, MD 20824-0105

1-301-592-8573

1-240-629-3255 (TTY)

www.nhlbi.nih.gov

National Institute of Allergy and 

Infectious Diseases

6610 Rockledge Drive, MSC 6612

Bethesda, MD 20892-6612

1-866-284-4107 (toll-free)

1-800-877-8339 (TTY/toll-free)

www.niaid.nih.gov

For more information on health and 

aging, contact:

National Institute on Aging

Information Center

P.O. Box 8057

Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057

1-800-222-2225 (toll-free)

1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)

www.nia.nih.gov

www.nia.nih.gov/Espanol
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To sign up for regular email alerts 

about new publications and other 

information from the NIA, go to 

www.nia.nih.gov/health.

Visit www.nihseniorhealth.gov, a seniorfriendly website from the National 

Institute on Aging and the National 

Library of Medicine. This website has 

health and wellness information for 

older adults. Special features make it 

simple to use. For example, you can 

click on a button to have the text read 

out loud or to make the type larger.

National Institutes of Health 

U.S. Department of Health & 

Human Services

April 2011

National Institute on Aging