Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Please install flash player to see this video.

Hospital Virtual Tour

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - Treatment

Alternative Names

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

Treatment:

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 only way to prevent the lung damage from getting worse.

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.

Other treatments for COPD include:

Breathing support, such as long-term, low-flow oxygen, noninvasive ventilation, or a breathing tube
Surgery to remove parts of the diseased lung

Lung rehabilitation does not cure the lung disease, but it teaches a patient to breathe in a different way so they can stay active.

Lung rehabilitation does not cure the lung disease, but it can teach you to breathe in a different way so you can stay active. Many hospitals offer these programs. They can also help you learn more about COPD. Exercise is very important, and helps keep you strong.

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

Lung transplant is sometimes performed for severe cases.

Support Groups:

People often can help ease the stress of illness by joining a support group in which members share common experiences and problems.

Expectations (prognosis):

This condition is a long-term (chronic) illness. The disease will get worse if you continue to smoke or use tobacco.

Complications:

Irregular heart beats (arrhythmias)
Need for breathing machine and oxygen therapy
Right-sided heart failure or cor pulmonale (heart swelling and heart failure due to chronic lung disease)
Pneumonia
Pneumothorax

Calling your health care provider:

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if you have a rapid increase in shortness of breath.

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder)

Smoking and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder)

Respiratory system

Reviewed last on: 9/24/2008
Benjamin Medoff, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Anthonisen N. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. In: Goldman L, Auseillo D. Goldman: Cecil Medicine. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 88.

Qaseem A. Diagnosis and management of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2007;147:633-638.

Rabe KF, Hurd S, Anzueto A, Barnes PJ, Buist SA, Calverley P, et al. Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: GOLD executive summary. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2007;176:532-555.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.