The vast majority of occurrences are the direct and unequivocal result of cigarette smoking. A sad result of the increasing incidence of smoking among women is that COPD is rising rapidly in that segment of the population, quickly catching up to that of males, who still comprise the majority of patients. Unlike asthma, the respiratory damage of COPD is irreversible, yet ironically quite preventable.
Cigarette smoke contains hundreds of chemicals which can damage lung tissue.
The net result after many years is that the lung loses its natural tendency to deflate or spring shut. The bronchial tubes become swollen and inflamed, and their diameter may decrease markedly. Excessive amounts of sputum are characteristic of bronchitis, and this may further impair air movement. Finally, the lungs become like large floppy balloons, with a major effort necessary to squeeze out each breath. In some cases, eventhat air that is breathed in and out fails to transmit its life giving oxygen normally, since it comes into contact with scar tissue or sputum instead of healthy lung tissue.