Who gets COPD?

Who gets COPD?

The primary, or main, cause of COPD is smoking. But not all smokers develop the disease. You may be at higher risk if you:

• Are someone who was assigned female at birth.
• Are over the age of 65.
• Have been exposed to air pollution.
• Have worked with chemicals, dust or fumes.
• Have alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AAT), a genetic risk factor for COPD.
• Had many respiratory infections during childhood.