COPD usually develops because of long-term damage to your lungs from breathing in a harmful substance, usually cigarette smoke, as well as smoke from other sources and air pollution. Jobs, where people are exposed to dust, fumes, and chemicals, can also contribute to developing COPD.
You’re most likely to develop COPD if you’re over 35 and are, or have been, a smoker or had chest problems as a child.
Some people are more affected than others by breathing in noxious materials. COPD does seem to run in families, so if your parents had chest problems then your own risk is higher.
A rare genetic condition called Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency makes people very susceptible to developing COPD at a young age.