COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

COPD Considerations for Cold Weather

With cold weather approaching, there are several special considerations to keep in mind for a COPD patient.

COPD is a disease in which the walls between the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs are damaged. As a result, lungs lose their elasticity, and it becomes harder to breathe out.

Healthy lungs stretch as a person breathes in, and shrink back as a person breathes out. In COPD, air gets trapped in the lungs, making them too large for the chest cavity, which causes a person to become short of breath. Breathing in cold air can irritate the lungs and make these symptoms worse.

Additionally, during the winter months with the higher incidence of colds and flu cases, people with COPD are generally more at risk of a lung infection. To avoid infection and exacerbation, it's important to follow certain precautions:

Many of the germs that cause respiratory diseases are spread by coughing and sneezing. In general, the best way to avoid the spread of these germs is to avoid contact with respiratory droplets or secretions.
Practice good hygiene, wash hands frequently and keep them away from your face.
Try to minimize contact with people with symptoms of respiratory illness, and stay out of crowds as much as possible during winter when more people experience colds and flu.
Avoid sharing your personal items such as eating/drinking utensils.
Immunization against flu and pneumonia is always a good idea for people with COPD.
Wearing a mask or a scarf around your nose and mouth is another option during the cold weather and / or in public. Also pay attention to the wind chill factor, and if at all possible, avoid going outdoors in extreme weather conditions. (See wind chill factor chart below.)
Breathing through your nose also helps in warming and filtering the inspired air to some degree.
Call your doctor and seek medical attention as soon as you experience signs and symptoms of infection such as increased shortness of breath, fatigue, wheezing or coughing, fever or chills.

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Last Reviewed: Dec 15, 2009

Phillip T Diaz, MD
Professor of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University

Mahasti Rittinger, RRT
Clinical Program Manager of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University