RISK FACTOR'S

The main risk factor for COPD is smoking. Up to 75 percent of people with COPD smoke or used to smoke. People who have a family history of COPD are more likely to have this disease if they smoke.

Prolonged exposure to other lung irritants is also a risk factor for COPD. Other lung irritants include contaminated air and the presence of chemical vapors, environmental or workplace dust, and second-hand smoke, which is the smoke in the air produced by people who smoke.

Most people with COPD are at least 40 years old at the onset of symptoms. Although it is uncommon, COPD can also occur in people under 40. For example, this can occur if a person has a health problem that predisposes them, such as the genetic disorder called alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.