COPD and Your Other
Health Conditions May Be Linked.
COPD can make other conditions worse. And other conditions you may have can make your COPD worse. So it's important to take a complete look at your overall health. And to be sure that you give your COPD — and its treatment — the attention it deserves.
COPD can increase your risk of other conditions, including:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Pulmonary hypertension
- High cholesterol
- Pneumonia (and the flu)
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Weight issues
Tell your doctor about other health concerns.
If you have one or more other health conditions, talk with your doctor about what you can do to manage them. The good news is that treating your COPD may help some of your other health conditions as well.
You may want to work with more than one doctor, too. For example, if you have both COPD and heart disease, you can work with both a pulmonologist and a cardiologist. Just be sure to share information about your total health and all medications with each specialist you see.
COPD, when it occurs with other health conditions, can lead to more hospitalizations, higher healthcare costs, and a higher rate of deaths.
