Treatment for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

If you are diagnosed with COPD, there are different treatments available, depending on how severe your symptoms are.  Treatment can and does improve quality  of life for many people. While the disease is not reversible, it can be slowed  and actions taken to improve breathing. The number one thing you can do to improve your condition if you haven't already  is to QUIT SMOKING. If you don't, the disease will progress faster,  and the treatments won't help  as much as they would if you were smoke free. 

Treatment for COPD includes: 

• Bronchodilators: Short-acting bronchodilators last 4 to 6 hours  with each dose and are used on an as needed basis. Long-acting bronchodilators last about 12 hours and are used daily. Because bronchodilators are inhaled, the medicine goes directly into the lungs, where it's needed. 

• Inhaled glucocorticosteroids  are steriods prescribed to some COPD patients to help reduce inflammation of the airways. A doctor may try them on a person for 6 weeks to 3 months initially to see  if they are of any help. 

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation  is a program of combined exercise, disease management counseling and training to help the person become more active and do what they can to slow the progression of symptoms. 

• Oxygen treatment  is used when the patient has severe COPD symptoms, known usually at this point as emphysema. The  oxygen level in the blood is too low, which leaves the person quite breathless. Inhaling oxygen will help them get enough oxygen and there will be less difficulty breathing. Depending on the need of the person, a doctor may advise using oxygen for part of the day, or all of the time. 

• Surgery  is recommended when other treatments have not provided any relief. It may help in some specific subtypes of COPD such as bullous emphysema.