Every day at MyAsthmaCentral.com we get lots of asthma related questions. Below are some questions I thought my readers at the RT Cave would enjoy.
Your Question: Can COPD be inherited?
My humble answer: That’s a great question. Actually, about 98% of COPD cases are not inherited. However, your parents can give you the genetic disposition whereby if you smoke you will have a greater chance of getting COPD. For example, if you have the asthma gene, and you smoke, you are much more likely to get COPD as, say, someone who does not have the asthma gene.
A very small percentage of people, like 2% of COPD patients or 0.2% of the U.S. population, have what is called an antitrypsin deficiency. These people are predisposed to developing emphysema, a type of COPD, before the age of 45.
If you have any further questions email me, or Visit COPDConnection.com Q&A section.
