E cigarette use tied to increased COPD, asthma risk MDedge COPD What Smoking is Really Doing to Your Lungs ABILITY Magazine Disease Lungs Chronic Bronchitis The Common Vein Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are both forms of COPD but affect different parts of the lungs. Emphysema damages the air sacs (alveoli), causing shortness of breath, while bronchitis inflames and narrows the