Mayo Clinic Minute: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease brought on by tobacco

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a progressive group of lung diseases, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, that make it hard to breathe. Millions of people around the globe die each year because of COPD, and nearly 16 million people in the U.S. have a form of the disease.

The No. 1 cause of COPD in developed countries is tobacco smoking, according to Dr. John Costello, consultant pulmonologist at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London.
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