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Real members of MyCOPDTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

If your parents smoked and you smoked are you guaranteed to get COPD when you get older? That's what my doc said without testing.

A MyCOPDTeam Member asked a question 💭
Idaho Falls, ID

I'm newly diagnosed with COPD asthma. I'm on a breztri inhaler and have a rescue inhaler and taking montelukast.

March 26
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A MyCOPDTeam Member

My parents smoked. I smoked only five years early in life. For some it’s genetic. My dad had COPD. And I got Bronchiectasis, another lung disease. I have the autoimmune disease part, that causes Bronchiectasis. I have genetic” Primary Immune Deficiency “. Which is tied to my lung disease. All had bad asthma with every generation , on my dad‘s mother’s side.

March 31
MyCOPDTeam

Are you guaranteed to get COPD if your parents smoked and you smoked?

No, you're not guaranteed to develop COPD, even with both smoking history and family exposure. About 20 percent of people who smoke tobacco will be diagnosed with COPD. Having a family history of COPD does raise your risk even more if you smoke, but it's Show Full Answer

Are you guaranteed to get COPD if your parents smoked and you smoked?

No, you're not guaranteed to develop COPD, even with both smoking history and family exposure. About 20 percent of people who smoke tobacco will be diagnosed with COPD. Having a family history of COPD does raise your risk even more if you smoke, but it's not a certainty.

Not everyone who smokes develops COPD. Research shows it takes an average of 30 years of smoking for COPD to develop, and many factors influence whether someone will get the disease. About your COPD-asthma diagnosis:

Some people have a mixture of both asthma and COPD. With asthma, breathing tests may show changes that are mostly or completely reversible with medication. COPD changes typically don't respond as much to treatment and generally get worse over time.

Since you're newly diagnosed and on Breztri with a rescue inhaler and montelukast, you're taking important steps to manage your condition. It's worth discussing with your doctor about getting proper testing like spirometry to understand your specific lung function and confirm your diagnosis.

March 26

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