Which term describes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

• A. COPD
• B. Asthma
• C. Emphysema
• D. Pneumonia

Answer: (A)

COPD is an umbrella label for progressive lung diseases that permanently limit airflow and are not fully reversible. It most often arises from long-term exposure to lung irritants, especially cigarette smoke. The spectrum includes chronic bronchitis, which features a productive cough on most days for at least three months in two consecutive years, and emphysema, which involves destruction of alveolar walls and loss of elastic recoil. Because many patients have both components, the overall syndrome is described as COPD rather than a single disease. Asthma differs in that it usually presents as reversible airway narrowing driven by inflammation and hyperreactivity. Emphysema is a part of COPD but does not alone name the entire condition. Pneumonia is an acute infection, not a chronic obstructive process. So the term describing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is COPD.