COPD Treatment, Causes, Types, Symptoms, Medication And Facts

COPD is an irreversible disease with no cure. However, using a variety of treatment options, the goal of COPD management should be to improve quality of daily living by relieving symptoms, recurrence of flare-ups, and slowing the rapid advancement of the stages in this progressive disease.

Giving Up Smoking:

The most important therapeutic intervention remains immediate cessation of smoking. Seeking help and information from your pulmunologist can help decide on various methods like nicotine replacement aids, transdermal nicotine patches, chewing pieces and other relaxation techniques that help with quitting smoking. Though damage caused to the lungs by smoking in COPD is not reversible, quitting smoking helps with halting further damage.

Other treatments for COPD may include medicines, vaccines, pulmonary rehabilitation programs, oxygen therapy and surgery in very advanced stages of COPD.

Medicines – Bronchodilators
Medications used to primarily relax muscles affected by airway constriction are called Bronchodilators. They help ease breathing, control occurrences of flare-ups, combat inflammation and bacterial infections. These medicines may be administered using a device such as a metered dose inhaler, dry powder inhaler or nebulizer. Often a combination of different types of medications falling under bronchodilators such as pills, tablets, or IV is used by doctors.
Beta-Agonists

Short-acting beta-agonists are used when symptoms are episodic as when exercising. They are also used when shortness of breath starts as a pre-cursor to a full-blown attack, effectively preventing it. Long-acting beta-agonists are used to treat daily symptoms that last over 12 hours.

Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors

Methylxanthines or theophyllines are used to improve diaphragm muscle contractility and stimulate the respiratory center.

Inhaled Glucocorticosteroids (Steroids)
Inhaled steroids are normally used in moderate or severe COPD to reduce airway inflammation. Normally, they are used in patients of COPD for a trial period of about 6 weeks to 3 months only. They are believed to be less effective in the treatment of COPD than with other diseases they are used for.
Mucolytic Agents

These agents reduce sputum viscosity and improve secretion clearance as cough associated with excessive mucus is one of the earliest symptoms that continues to advanced stages of the disease also.
Oxygen Therapy

COPD commonly is associated with low levels of oxygen in blood. Oxygen stored in a portable tank is administered to the patient through a flexible nasal tube or face mask . Oxygen administration reduces mortality rates in patients with advanced COPD because of the favorable effects on pulmonary health.

Surgical Options
When advanced COPD has resulted in significant lung damage surgery may be suitable. Bullectomy is advised in cases where spirometric breathing tests show poor lung function. This procedure removes air spaces that sometimes form when air sacks break and interfere with breathing.

• Bullectomy is advised in cases where spirometric breathing tests show poor lung function. This procedure removes air spaces that sometimes form when air sacks break and interfere with breathing.
• Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) is a procedure to remove sections of damaged lung tissue.
• Lung transplant is undertaken in very severe cases of COPD to replace a diseased lung with a healthy donor lung.

Other Lifestyle Changes
Along with the above treatments, patients would be well advised to follow a pulmonary rehabilitation program that gives a holistic approach including but not limited to nutrition advice, breathing exercises and other types of exercises for COPD patients. As infections such as flu and influenza worsen COPD, annual flu and influenza shots are a must.

If you are a COPD patient, or a caregiver to someone who has COPD, there are many COPD medications that greatly improve management of COPD symptoms and intermittent flare-ups. Here is a list of common COPD medications that are likely to be prescribed to the COPD patient:

1. Bronchodilators
COPD patients are often prescribed medications called bronchodilators. Bronchodilators make it easier to breathe in COPD patients who suffer from shortness of breath. It works by relaxing and expanding the smooth muscle of the airways. Types of bronchodilators used in the treatment will depend upon the stage and severity of COPD symptoms. Short-acting bronchodilators like anticholinergics such as ipratropium and beta2-agonists such as albuterol and levalbuterol are used for intermittent COPD symptomatic treatment. A combination of the two may also be used.

Short acting beta-agonists are used to treat shortness of breath that comes and goes on and off. They are effective in the treatment of symptoms that last for a short period of time. Long acting beta-agonists are used to treat symptoms that last say the entire night or over 12 hours.

2. Corticosteroids
If you have COPD, your doctor may have prescribed Corticosteroids like prednisone as part of your COPD treatment plan. Though these steroids have many benefits, they also have serious risks and side effects. They are particularly useful in the treatment of flare-ups or COPD exacerbations when all symptoms are greatly worse and threaten severe
breathing problems.

3. Oxygen Therapy
Lung and airways damage in COPD patients gives their blood less oxygen than necessary for organs to function properly. Doctors suggest oxygen therapy to infuse more oxygen into the lungs. Patients often use an oxygen tank at home to inhale their required dose of oxygen.

4. Metered Dose Inhalers
Metered Dose Inhalers are used to administer a measured dose of medicine directly to the lungs of a COPD patient. Since they are highly effective, it is believed that less dosage amounts than that in a pill could be used for treating symptoms. Nebulizers are also found to work very effectively and are conveniently portable.

5. Methylzanthines are Expectorants
Though these two medication options can be effective, due to the risks associated with them they are being eased out of treatments for COPD.

6. Flu Vaccine
Flu shots will not help to prevent flu, they can also help COPD patients fight off potential exacerbations of symptoms that worsen when they get flu..

7. Pneumonia Vaccine
People with COPD are at greater risk for developing pneumococcal pneumonia, a serious lung infection. Even if you have already had a pneumonia vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that certain high-risk groups have a second dose. If you are a COPD patient take your doctor’s advice to know if you need another shot.

8. Antibiotics
People with COPD are more prone to bacterial lung infections than most others due to the poor health of their lungs. If you contract a bacterial lung infection, then your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic. Antibiotic therapy may not be used to treat a simple virus but COPD patients with bacterial lung infection may benefit from it.

COPD has no known cure but there are a variety of treatment paths that patients can pursue on the advice of a specialist pulmonologist to enhance the quality of everyday life. The common goal of COPD treatment should be to result in:
• Delivering relief from symptoms
• Slowing the progress of the disease
• Improving tolerance to physical activity
• Preventing and treating flare-ups
• Improving overall health and lifestyle changes

Self-Help in COPD:
There are many things that those suffering with COPD can do to continue to live active and satisfying life.
• Quitting smoking is the most significant change that any COPD patient can decide upon to better his disease condition. Apart from medications, counseling and support groups are also very helpful in quitting smoking.
• Staying active and moderate exercise is also known to be a mood elevator that helps to keep away depression.
• Stay in good health and take adequate care to avoid coming down with flu, influenza and other bacterial infections as these conditions worsen COPD. Follow the routine suggested by your doctor with regard to annual shots against these infections.
• Eat healthy as muscle weakness and weight-loss as a weaker body is less successful in fighting off infections.
• Avoid triggers like tobacco smoke, chemical fumes and air pollution which can bring on episodes of flare-ups and aggravate symptoms.
• Learn breathing techniques that will help increase air flow and thereby oxygen levels in blood which help with better lung function.
• Rest is essential for those severe COPD as even routine daily activities can tire the body easily. Learn to do the same activities expending less energy whenever possible.
• Educate yourself well about disease treatment, prognosis and options that you may have to ease living with COPD.
• Join support groups or counseling sessions to interact with people with similar conditions that can help you overcome depression and get compassionate guidance.

Oxygen Treatments:
Reduce the likelihood of right sided heart failure with proper oxygen therapy as suggested by your doctor. Often portable cylinders are used by patients to enhance supply of oxygen to the lungs and therefore, blood.

Medications:
Your doctor may use a variety of medications like Bronchodilators to help with shortness of breath. Anti-inflammatory medicines such as corticosteroids pills or inhaled medicines could be of great help and relief.

Dealing with COPD flare-ups.
Every now and then symptoms of COPD worsen and may need readjustments to your existing regimen of medication. Your doctor may use anticholinergics or oral corticosteroids and beta-agonists, each of which are used to treat different conditions associated with COPD. Mechanical inhalers, masks and other devices may also be used to administer the chosen medicine. Antibiotics may be used to treat infections like flu which can worsen COPD.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programs:

These are rehab programs exclusively made for people with lung problems. Right breathing exercises vital to COPD patients are taught in these programs.

Surgical Intervention:

Where damage to lungs is severe surgery may be the last resort. The damaged tissue of the lung is taken out surgically. Where lungs are at the point of collapsing, in rare cases lung transplant to transport a healthy donor lung is carried out. Lung volume reduction surgery removes damaged part of the lungs and makes room for the healthy part of the lung to function better.

Living with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, presents several challenges. The magnitude and wide prevalence of this disease may shock many who are unaware that one in four deaths in the US accounts for COPD. But for the estimated 14 million COPD patients in the US alone and several hundred millions worldwide, there are a number of things they can do voluntarily to live better and add more years to life.

COPD is a serious and progressive disease that happens due to inflammation in the airways that leads to permanent lung damage. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause for COPD though other inhaled irritants like chemical fumes and dust are responsible to some extent too. Genetics also plays a role in some cases.

COPD and early diagnosis

Cough lasting for at least 3 months and present for nearly two or more successive years could be COPD. It is a serious condition that may have chronic bronchitis and emphysema occurring together. Once diagnosed, improve your day to day life by following many of these options for self-help.

Maintain a Safer environment

If you are a smoker, quit smoking before you do anything else. No other one single thing or set of combined efforts can have the positive effect on advance of COPD that quitting smoking has.

Since occupational hazards like smoke, chemical dust and fumes, toxic particles further worsen COPD, switch your profession, if you can. Have all painting walls, spraying of disinfectant on plants done when you are not at home.

Expend Less Energy over Tasks

Physical weakness and weight loss affects many COPD sufferers. People with COPD need 10 times more calories just to breathe compared to an individual in normal health. So it’s understandable that COPD patients even when seemingly normal in appearance, find even small chores very taxing.

• Aim to live active lives but look to conserve your energy.
• Use light-weight rolling carts to move stuff around the house.
• Use support bars in bathrooms and stairways to assist walking, rising and moving about.
• Keep things handy and organized and easy to access places. Avoid storing and using spaces above shoulder level.
• Avoid unnecessary tasks and take help when you can, from friends and family members.
• Rest often while doing chores that are unavoidable.
• Practice relaxation techniques that work for you. They can help you cope better with shortness of breath.
• Get adequate sleep and take short breaks of rest through the day to you more energy for things you need to do.
• Pursue hobbies that are not physically demanding.

Diet and Exercise

Though it may not seem to make sense to spend energy exercising both body and spirit benefit from it.

• Eat small meals several times through the day.
• Eat healthy and prepare meals with foods that cook fast.
• If eating tires you out, opt for less chewy foods.
• Breathing exercising and tips for better posture can give you more air than your lungs seem to hold.
• Daily stretching and short walks can keep your stronger.

Adherence to Medications

Many patients do not adhere to their medicine regimens. Exercise discipline in taking your medications on time and in the suggested manner.

Despite the challenges you face with COPD, you could still live a life that is enriching and satisfying by making small changes.