Treatment Guidelines for COPD
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a disease of the airways that gets worse over time. The main cause of COPD is cigarette smoking. Most people with COPD have both emphysema and chronic obstructive bronchitis. With emphysema the airways and air sacs of the lungs are damaged. In chronic bronchitis the linings of the airways are irritated and inflamed. Mucus clogs the airways and makes it difficult to breathe.
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Treatment
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There is no cure for COPD, but there are treatments to help you breathe more easily and slow the progression of the illness. If you smoke, the first thing you should do is quit. Talk to your doctor about smoking cessation programs to help you quit. It is also important to avoid second-hand smoke and other irritants in the air.
Many people with COPD need to see a pulmonologist--a doctor who specializes in treating lung disease. To manage COPD, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following treatments: medications, pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen therapy, vaccinations or even surgery.
Medications
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Bronchodilators: Short- and long-acting bronchodilators are used to treat COPD and help open your airways. They are usually breathed into the lungs with an inhaler. Short-acting bronchodilators last about four hours, and long-acting ones about 12 hours. Short-acting bronchodilators are used for mild COPD, and only when you have symptoms. If COPD is more severe, you may need regular treatment with short- and long-acting bronchodilators.
Inhaled Corticosteroids: These medicines help to reduce inflammation in the airways that can make breathing difficult. They are typically prescribed if you have moderate or severe COPD and should be used every day.
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Pulmonary Rehabilitation
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Pulmonary rehabilitation is a medically supervised exercise, nutrition and disease-management program that helps improve your breathing, health and well-being. It may also include psychological counseling. The goal of pulmonary rehabilitation is to help you be active and handle your daily activities.
Oxygen Therapy
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Some people with severe COPD suffer from low oxygen levels in their blood. Oxygen therapy is used to increase these levels. Oxygen is delivered through a mask or nasal prongs (a cannula). Supplemental oxygen helps people with severe COPD carry out their daily activities and protects their bodies from damage caused by lack of oxygen.
Vacccinations
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Flu Shots: The flu (influenza virus) can cause serious problems for people who have COPD. Flu shots are important to get if you have COPD, and will lessen your chance of getting the flu.
Pneumonia Vaccine: If you have COPD you are at a higher risk for pneumonia (pneumococcal virus) than those without COPD. In this case, you should speak with your doctor about getting a pneumonia vaccine.
Surgery
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In some instances, surgery helps people who have COPD. Surgeries include bullectomy, in which air spaces called bullae that destroy the air sacs are removed, and lung volume reduction surgery, in which tissue that has been damaged is removed from the lungs. Lung transplants may also be used for very severe cases of COPD: the damaged lung is replaced with a healthy lung from a deceased donor. Surgery is usually a last resort and only done when breathing cannot be helped by taking medicines.
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References
- Photo Credit artlung
