Fast Five Quiz: Can You Properly Identify and Treat COPD?

Zab Mosenifar, MD

Disclosures

February 04, 2022

The primary cause of COPD is exposure to tobacco smoke. Overall, tobacco smoking accounts for as much as 90% of COPD risk. However, COPD does occur in individuals who have never smoked. Marfan syndrome and other connective tissue disorders, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, have been associated with the development of COPD. Environmental factors (eg, pollution), alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency, intravenous drug use, immunodeficiency syndromes (eg, HIV), and vasculitis syndromes have also been linked to COPD.

Pulmonary abnormalities, including emphysema, have been described in approximately 10% of patients.

Learn more about the etiology of COPD.

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