The lungs have small sacs called alveoli which fill like balloons when you breathe. The oxygen in the alveoli makes its way into the bloodstream to deliver oxygen-rich blood to your organs. With chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the lungs don't work properly due to damage from smoking or pollutants. This makes the alveoli walls break down while the airways swell and become full of mucus. This disease makes it difficult to get enough oxygen when you breathe and push out carbon dioxide. As a progressive disease, the condition will worsen over time as the lungs become inflamed and the tissue becomes damaged. In general, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a general term that describes progressive lung disease such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema.Next
