What is the outlook for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

What is the outlook for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

COPD progresses at a different rate for every person. Once it progresses, you can’t reverse the lung damage from COPD but, by following a healthy lifestyle and getting treatment as early as possible, you can manage symptoms and feel much better.

Life expectancy for someone with COPD varies from person to person. It depends on how early your provider finds the disease, your general health (including other diseases you might have), and how you manage your treatment. Some people live quite a long time after diagnosis. Other people, with more severe disease, don’t fare as well.