COPD; Chronic obstructive airways disease; Chronic obstructive lung disease; Chronic bronchitis; Emphysema; Bronchitis - chronic

There is no cure for COPD. However, there are many things you can do to relieve symptoms and keep the disease from getting worse.

Persons with COPD must stop smoking. This is the best way to slow down the lung damage.

Medications used to treat COPD include:

• Inhalers (bronchodilators) to open the airways, such as ipratropium (Atrovent), tiotropium (Spiriva), salmeterol (Serevent), or formoterol (Foradil)
• Inhaled steroids to reduce lung inflammation

In severe cases or during flare-ups, you may need to receive steroids by mouth or through a vein (intravenously).

Antibiotics are prescribed during symptom flare-ups, because infections can make COPD worse.

Oxygen therapy at home may be needed if a person has a low level of oxygen in their blood. Pulmonary rehabilitation does not cure the lung disease, but it can teach you to breathe in a different way so you can stay active. Exercise programs such as pulmonary rehabilitation are also important to help maintain muscle strength in the legs so less demand is placed on the lungs when walking. These programs also teach people how to use their medicines most effectively.

Things you can do to make it easier for yourself around the home include:

• Avoiding very cold air
• Making sure no one smokes in your home
• Reducing air pollution by eliminating fireplace smoke and other irritants

Eat a healthy diet with fish, poultry, or lean meat, as well as fruits and vegetables. If it is hard to keep your weight up, talk to a doctor or dietitian about getting foods with more calories.

Surgical treatments may include:

• Surgery to remove parts of the diseased lung, for some patients with emphysema
• Lung transplant for severe cases

Images

Bronchitis

Quitting smoking

Emphysema

Smoking and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder)

Spirometry

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder)

Respiratory system

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Symptoms

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Prevention

Review Date: 10/09/2009
Reviewed By: Andrew Schriber, MD, FCCP, Specialist in Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Virtua Memorial Hospital, Mount Holly, New Jersey. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)