COPD is a chronic lung disease that has no cure but treatment can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. While COPD is not immediately fatal, it can contribute to other serious health issues that can be life-threatening like pneumonia, heart failure, lung cancer, and dementia. With proper treatment and lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, many COPD patients live for years after diagnosis and have a good life expectancy, though the severity of symptoms and risk of complications varies between patients. Managing any co-existing conditions is also important for reducing health risks.

1. Is COPD Fatal ?
The information provided on our website is not intended to replace
professional medical or healthcare advice. It is our aim to help make certain
health-related information more readily available and useful to you, however,
our website cannot and does not guarantee health-related improvements or
outcomes.
Any information provided to you by, or linked to from, our website, does not
constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, nor you should rely on that
output as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always talk to a
qualified medical or healthcare professional about any medical conditions.
Any decisions you take affecting your health should always be made in
consultation with a qualified medical professional. You should not rely on the
information set out on our website as your primary tool for making health-
related decisions.

2. One of the first questions anyone diagnosed with COPD will ask is, “is it
fatal?” Well, this is a complex question, but we will begin to address it
here. We look at the outlook for COPD patients and how to improve
your life expectancy and quality of life with treatment and good COPD
management.
A diagnosis of COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, can be
a daunting thing.
This chronic lung condition is a serious illness that has no cure.
Whilst this might sound scary, knowledge is the most powerful
medicine, so if you receive this diagnosis, it is important to learn as
much as you can about your condition so that you can change your
lifestyle to mitigate its impact on your health.

3. As the British Lung Foundation explains, COPD, is a “group of
lung conditions including bronchitis and emphysema. They
make it difficult to empty air out of the lungs because your
airways have been narrowed.” Patients with COPD find it
harder to breathe due to damaged lung tissue, reduced
elasticity in the lining of the airways, and/or inflammation of
these linings.
One of the first questions anyone diagnosed with COPD will ask
is, “is it fatal?” Well, this is a complex question, but we will
begin to address it here.

4. The outlook for COPD patients
The outlook for COPD patients varies significantly based on
numerous factors. These factors include how early the diagnosis
and intervention was made, what exacerbating lifestyle factors are
at play, your age, and which symptoms you experience.
As Medicine.net explains, the life expectancy of a COPD sufferer is
measured by health professionals using something called the BODE
index. The BODE index attempts to place your COPD into one of
four stages that are determined based on body mass, airflow
obstruction, shortness of breath, and exercise capacity. This is not
entirely accurate, as the variables measured often change, but
generally-speaking, types 3-4 of COPD are those that involve risks
of serious or fatal complications like pneumonia or heart failure.

5. Medical researchers are always studying the outlook for COPD
patients, and how to improve it. One recent study found that COPD
is associated with “only a modest reduction in life expectancy for
never smokers, but with a very large reduction for current and
former smokers”. Their findings suggest that smoking is the leading
cause of marked reduction in life expectancy for COPD patients.
They found that, for those with stages 1 or 2 COPD, the average
loss of years in life expectancy at age 65 was at most a few. Current
smokers with stage 3 or 4 COPD in their study, however lost about
six years of life expectancy, in addition to the almost four years lost
due to smoking.
Essentially, what all of this means is that the outlook for COPD
varies greatly based on which stage of the disease you have – but
also how you manage your condition. This is good news for
patients, because it means they have the power to improve their
condition, and their outlook.

6. Is COPD fatal?
So, this leads to the essential question – is COPD fatal? Well, it depends on how you view that
question. It is a chronic condition, with no cure, but many patients live for many years after their
diagnosis, with proper treatment. COPD deaths are more than often co-morbid, meaning that
COPD in conjunction with another illness, such as pneumonia or heart failure, can lead to death.
The Health Line explains that COPD is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. – and it is a
major cause of death in the UK, too. There is no way to reverse the damage done to your lungs by
COPD, but there are many ways to prevent it getting worse or leading to other problems, so
getting an early diagnosis and complying fully with your treatment and management plan is vital.
This will give you the best possible life expectancy, whatever stage of COPD you are diagnosed
with.
COPD is a lifelong condition, so in that sense it is fatal, because we are all mortal. However, it
does not mean that your life must be cut short. With proper treatment and management, you
can still lead a long and full life with COPD.

7. COPD.net
As we previously suggested, COPD deaths are almost always due to co-
morbid factors. Otherwise known as ‘complications’, these are other
illnesses that, experienced with COPD, can cause serious problems. These
are important to be aware of, and to know how to prevent and treat
effectively to reduce the risks they can present.

8. Pneumonia
For COPD patients, who have a weakened pulmonary system, pneumonia can be a
dangerous illness. In these patients, pneumonia can exacerbate damage to the lungs,
leading to a series of illnesses that can weaken the lungs even further, deteriorating
the health of those with COPD. This makes it very important to take all the possible
steps to prevent infection if you have COPD, including maintaining good hygiene and
hand washing, keeping out of contact with people who have infectious illnesses, and
boosting your immune system with a healthy diet and lifestyle. You can also
investigate getting pneumonia and flu vaccines to prevent coming down with this
condition.

9. Heart failure
One of the most problematic complications of COPD is heart failure. People with
COPD have lower levels of oxygen in their bloodstream, which often puts a strain
on the heart. This can cause pulmonary hypertension in under 10 percent of
patients. In most cases, developing heart failure can be avoided by properly
managing COPD treatment, but it is important to look out for any signs of heart
problems, such as leg swelling, so that you can prevent heart failure.

10. Lung cancer
Unfortunately, many cases of COPD are caused by smoking, so it is
unsurprising that one of the leading complications with COPD is lung cancer.
Chronic inflammation within the lungs can complicate the conditions when
experienced in conjunction, with genetics possibly also playing a role.
Therefore, it is vital that anyone with COPD avoids anything that could lead to
lung cancer or further lung damage – particularly smoking.

11. Diabetes
COPD cannot cause diabetes, but if you already have diabetes, it can
have an impact on your outlook with COPD. One particular risk is
harmful interactions between COPD and diabetes medications – so it is
key to discuss this with your doctor to ensure you take only medications
that don’t exacerbate either condition. Diabetes can also restrict the
cardiovascular system, which can worsen your COPD symptoms, so it is
important to keep on top of both conditions to prevent complications.

12. Dementia
You might not know that COPD in older patients involves a risk of developing
dementia. This is because the reduction of oxygen in the system, high carbon
dioxide levels, and blood vessel damage in the brain can lead to dementia.
This is more likely in smokers.
Dementia also makes COPD more difficult to manage, as patients may be
more likely to forget to take their medications. If this is the case, it is
important to use technology such as smart inhalers, which remind patients
when to take their inhaler to ease their symptoms and boost long-term
respiratory health.
“The truth is how long you live once you have been diagnosed is up to you.
Your life and how long you survive once diagnosed is literally in your own
hands. How long you survive will depend on your actions because although
COPD is progressive that progress, providing you do not smoke, is very slow.
Just simple lifestyle changes can and will add years to your life.”