Can You Drink Alcohol if You Have COPD?
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Every day, you struggle to breathe. You cough and wheeze, and experience shortness of breath any time you try to get up to go do something. You’re exhausted — mentally and physically — from living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and just want to be able to relax. You think a glass of wine, a cold beer, or a margarita might do the trick — but will it? Or will it just make things worse?
In this post, we’ll explore what COPD is, how alcohol impacts people living with the condition, and offer tips on how to manage it. Let’s dive in!
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs. It affects 16 million Americans and is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Symptoms of COPD typically include coughing, spitting up phlegm (mucus), difficulty breathing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tiredness.
Sometimes, people with COPD experience exacerbations: symptoms flare up and require medical treatment for a few weeks. This might include staying in a hospital with oxygen, nebulizers, and intravenous medication.
COPD usually results from exposure to cigarette smoke and other irritating gasses or air pollutants. According to the American Lung Association, 85-90% of COPD cases result from smoking or from secondhand smoke.
COPD is a serious condition, affecting many aspects of life and putting people at a greater risk of developing heart disease, lung cancer, and a variety of other conditions.
Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are two common conditions that contribute to COPD. They usually occur together and can vary in severity. Let’s break these down:
The answer to whether we can drink alcohol with COPD isn’t necessarily clear. While the occasional alcoholic beverage may be safe, heavy drinking can make COPD symptoms worse and impair the health of our lungs.
Studies report that moderate to high levels of alcohol consumption are associated with a 25% increased risk of death from COPD. Furthermore, one study found that COPD patients who were discharged from the hospital and who struggled with alcohol misuse were more likely to require readmission within 30 days.
Chronic alcohol consumption can damage the surface of our lungs, making it more difficult to clear mucus from our lungs. A buildup of mucus can lead to shortness of breath and make it harder to breathe. We may have a harder time coughing after consuming alcohol, making it more difficult to clear our lungs — which is why we might feel like we have an “alcohol cough.”
Similarly, alcohol often leads to inflammation throughout our body, which can impair our immune system. This makes us more susceptible to all types of infections, including those of our lungs. In fact, studies show that heavy alcohol consumption can increase our risk of respiratory infections.
Let’s take a closer look at how alcohol interacts with COPD:
Alcohol also interferes with the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents in our airways. For example, researchers have found that heavy drinking reduces levels of an antioxidant in the body known as glutathione, which protects the lungs from damage caused by inhaled toxins such as tobacco smoke, chemicals, and other airborne particles. Decreased levels of glutathione makes us more susceptible to breathing difficulties and can contribute to COPD flare ups. And if we’re already smokers and consume alcohol, our COPD flare ups will only be worse.
Some people with COPD find that alcohol helps them be less irritated by the breathlessness associated with COPD. However, even though we might not feel as much discomfort, our oxygen levels are still decreasing, which can lead to an excess build up of carbon dioxide.
Carbon dioxide is bad for anyone, but it’s especially harmful for COPD patients who struggle to expel excess carbon dioxide because of their damaged lungs. As a result, consuming alcohol might cause us to become even more sedated than a non-COPD person who consumed the same amount of alcohol.
In addition to decreasing lung function, alcohol can also create breathing problems while we sleep. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, and it can help us fall asleep faster. But, despite drifting off more quickly, alcohol actually reduces the overall quality of sleep and causes frequent disruptions. Research shows that heavy drinking can elevate the risk of sleep apnea — a common breathing disorder — by about 25%. This can be particularly dangerous for people with COPD who already have oxygen levels that are lower than normal.
After drinking alcohol, some people with COPD demonstrate allergic or allergic-like reactions that exacerbate breathing difficulties and discomfort. This may include sneezing, running nose, congestion, itching or flushing of the skin. While any type of alcohol can cause these symptoms, wine appears to cause allergic reactions more than others.
Alcohol can also lessen the effectiveness of certain COPD medications, such as glucocorticoids and antibiotics. Glucocorticoids are used to manage chronic lung conditions, and antibiotics are used to treat bacterial lung infections. Even small amounts of alcohol can make them less effective. Furthermore, alcohol can increase the effects of anxiety and pain medications, which can cause our heart and breathing rates to slow to a dangerous — even life-threatening — level.
So alcohol may make COPD worse — but can it actually cause breathing problems? While researchers haven’t found clear evidence that drinking alcohol can directly cause COPD, alcohol can damage our lungs and our body’s immune response. This could make it harder to breathe and increase our risk of COPD.
However, the biggest risk factor for developing COPD is smoking. People who encounter high levels of environmental pollution are also at risk for lung damage that could cause the disease. This might include people who regularly inhale chemicals, wood, or dust particles at work.
Another risk factor is alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, or AAT deficiency. This is a rare genetic disorder that reduces the body’s ability to protect the lungs, which can make someone more prone to develop COPD.
If we have any of these risk factors, adding alcohol to the mix is likely to increase our risk, given its negative effects on our lung and immune function. Particularly if we find ourselves coughing after drinking alcohol or experiencing shortness of breath after drinking alcohol, it’s best to avoid it.
While there is no cure for COPD, treatments often aim to slow or prevent its negative impact on our life by reducing symptoms and exacerbations, and improving activity and strength.
However, the most important thing we can do for our lungs is to quit smoking. It’s never too late! We can’t necessarily undo the damage that’s already been done, but stopping smoking can slow the progression of COPD. It can also prevent other complications of smoking, such as heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.
Those of us who have trouble quitting can talk to a medical provider about possible medications, nicotine replacement therapy, counseling, and group programs, all of which have proven to be effective methods in helping smokers quit.
Many people with COPD can also benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation, which is a structured program of education, physical therapy, and social support that improves quality of life, physical activity, and symptoms. Contact a healthcare provider to get information about any pulmonary rehab programs near us.
Living with COPD is not easy. It limits our everyday activities, such as exercising, working, moving around, eating, and sleeping. It can also lead to social isolation, depression, and anxiety. In addition to quitting smoking, here are some tips for managing COPD:
COPD is a serious condition that impairs our breathing and impacts our quality of life. While an occasional drink may not be harmful, heavy drinking can exacerbate COPD symptoms and put us at a greater risk for respiratory infections. It can also disrupt our sleep and decrease the effectiveness of certain COPD medications. A medical professional can help us develop a personalized treatment plan, but we can also help ourselves by eating a healthy diet, eating smaller meals throughout the day, staying hydrated, and practicing breathing exercises.
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1. What is COPD?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are two of the most common conditions that contribute to COPD.
2. Can we drink alcohol if we have COPD?
While the occasional drink may be safe, heavy drinking can make COPD symptoms worse and impair the health of our lungs. Alcohol can also increase our risk of respiratory infections, disrupt our sleep, and decrease the effectiveness of some COPD medications.
3. Can alcohol cause breathing problems?
While alcohol can’t directly cause COPD, chronic heavy consumption of alcohol can damage our lungs and our immune system, making it harder to breathe and increasing our risk of COPD.
4. What is the treatment for COPD?
The most important thing to do if we have COPD is to quit smoking. Many people with COPD can also benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation, which is a structured program of education, physical therapy, and social support.
5. What are some tips for managing COPD?
In addition to quitting smoking, we can manage COPD by eating a healthy diet; eating smaller, more frequent meals; staying hydrated; and practicing breathing exercises.
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