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COPD

Emphysema, Explained in 90 Seconds

Emphysema is a lung condition under the umbrella of COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Lauren Smith, MASanjai Sinha, MD
Written by Lauren Smith, MA | Reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD
Updated on November 9, 2025
Reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD | November 9, 2025

One of the diseases that can affect your lung health is emphysema. Along with chronic bronchitis, it falls under the umbrella of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. These days, doctors are more likely to use the diagnosis of COPD because emphysema and chronic bronchitis so often occur together.

In this video, learn what is emphysema, how it affects the lungs, and common symptoms.

References

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Lauren Smith, MA
Written by:
Lauren Smith, MA
Lauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.
Sanjai Sinha, MD
Reviewed by:
Sanjai Sinha, MD
Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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