Lung Health

Millions of Americans are living with lung diseases that can make breathing difficult. Learn ways to protect your lungs from injury or disease.

Lung Health

Learn about five steps you can take to protect your lungs from injury or disease.

How Breathing Works

Learn about the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs with this animated video.

Asthma

Learn about managing and controlling asthma. Share these animations on your social media channels or website to help others learn more about managing and controlling asthma.

Learn About Asthma

Asthma is a chronic condition that affects 1 in 13 Americans.

How Asthma Affects Breathing

Asthma is a chronic condition that makes it harder to breathe.

Learn About Treatment for Asthma

Asthma treatment can help you prevent attacks and manage your symptoms.

Learn How to Use an Asthma Action Plan

Watch this video to learn how you can prepare your personal NHLBI Asthma Action Plan.

Find additional animations to share on your social media channels or website.


COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a serious lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. Common symptoms that people often mistake as normal signs of aging include wheezing, shortness of breath, ongoing coughing, chest tightness, or a combination of all. If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms, talk with a health care provider about getting a breathing test. Share these animations with others to spread the word.

How Do I Help a Person I'm Caring for Manage COPD?

If you or someone you love is diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), information makes all the difference

Self-Care for COPD Caregivers

Caring for someone with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is important, but it’s also important to take care of

What is COPD?

COPD is a serious lung disease that includes two main conditions — chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

Learn About Spirometry

COPD can be diagnosed through a quick and simple breathing test that checks how well your lungs are working called spirometry. 

Recognize the early symptoms of COPD: Learn More Breathe

If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms, talk with a health care provider about getting a breathing test.

Learn About Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation can help people with COPD breathe easier, stay active, and improve their quality of life.

Does This Sound Like You?

Common signs and symptoms of COPD include wheezing, shortness of breath, ongoing coughing, and chest tightness.

Find additional animations to share on your social media channels or website.


Hear from Breathe Better Network Partners

This 7-video series features interviews with Network members whose organizations are working to address COPD and move the COPD National Action Plan forward. Featured organizations include the American Lung Association, Atrium Health, The COPD Foundation, The Dorney-Koppel Foundation, and the Respiratory Health Association. These videos focus on key challenges and themes in our Learn More Breathe Better COPD work. Share these videos using the hashtag #BreatheBetter and tag the Learn More Breathe Better program, @BreatheBetter in your posts.

The Impact of the COPD National Action Plan

The COPD National Action Plan was created to address the disease by uniting key stakeholders in the fight against it.

How Can We Help People Recognize Signs of COPD?

Earlier diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference in quality of life for people who have COPD.

The Future of COPD Research and Treatment

COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States.

Breathing Better with a COPD Diagnosis

What’s it like to live with COPD? Why is talking to your doctor about your diagnosis so important?

How Does a COPD Diagnosis Affect the Person’s Loved Ones?

COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is a serious lung disease that makes it hard to breathe.

Partnering in the Fight Against COPD

More than 16 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD, and it’s estimated that millions more have it and don’t know.

A Message to People Living with COPD and their Caregivers

The good news is that there are treatment options for COPD.


2018 Research Conference on Sleep and the Health of Women

The NHLBI collaborated with the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health and the HHS Office on Women’s Health on this research conference to highlight the importance of sleep for the health of women. (Published in 2018)

Link to webcast:  Day 1Day 2


COPD Journey Series 

This video series, COPD Journey: From Learning More to Breathing Better, features NHLBI scientists talking about the prevalence of COPD and how to diagnose and manage it, as well as the COPD National Action Plan and the Institute’s commitment to reducing the burden of the disease. Share these videos on social media using #COPDjourney.(Published in 2018)

The Basics of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

How is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Diagnosed?

Taking a Spirometry Test

How Can Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Be Managed?

Who Has and Is Most at Risk for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?

What’s Ahead for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?


NHLBI Support for Personalized Therapy in Lung Disease

Keynote speaker James Kiley, Ph.D., of the NHLBI’s Division of Lung Diseases, talks about advancing research for pulmonary fibrosis.(Published in 2018)

NHLBI Support for Personalized Therapy in Lung Disease

Keynote speaker Jim Kiley of the NHLBI presents on the role of the NHLBI in advancing research for pulmonary fibrosis.  


What is COPD?

James Kiley, Ph.D., and Antonello (Tony) Punturieri, M.D., Ph.D., of the NHLBI’s Division of Lung Diseases, explain what you need to know about COPD.(Published in 2017)

What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term lung disease.


COPD National Action Plan

Learn more about COPD, a leading cause of death and disability in the U.S., and how the COPD National Action Plan aims to raise awareness and reduce the burden of the disease.(Published in 2017)

COPD National Action Plan

The COPD National Action Plan was created to address the disease by uniting key stakeholders in the fight against it.


NHLBI Orloff Award 2015: Stewart Levine & Jay Chung

2015 NHLBI Orloff Award recipients Jay Chung, M.D., Ph.D., from NHLBI’s Laboratory of Obesity and Aging Research, and Stewart Levine, M.D., from NHLBI’s Laboratory of Asthma and Lung Inflammation, explain how their labs, which focus on different fields, came together to find a potentially novel therapy for asthma.(Published in 2016)

NHLBI Orloff Award 2015: Stewart Levine & Jay Chung

Jay Chung, MD, PhD, Stewart Levine, MD, and their teams won the Orloff Award for finding a potentially novel therapy for asthma.