COPD
(Chronic bronchitis, emphysema,
or a combination of both

Treatment

Common to asthma

COPD-Only Medication

Aclidinium
Bretaris Genuair

Glycopyrronium
Seebri Breezhaler

Indacaterol
Onbrez Breezhaler

Indacaterol/glycopyrronium
Ultibro Breezhaler

Ipratropium
Atrovent Metered Aerosol

Tiotropium
Spiriva Handihaler

Umeclidinium
Incruse Ellipta

Umeclidinium/vilanterol
Anoro Ellipta

About

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Learning new breathing strategies

Learning different ways to do daily tasks

Personal exercise training

Surgery
(Last resort)

Lung volume reduction surgeries

Lung transplants

Prognosis

  • Progressive condition that typically gets worse over time
  • Treatment slows the progression and makes it more manageable
  • Even with treatment, damaged lungs can’t return to normal

Causes

  • Smoking (85 to 90% of deaths)
  • Exposure to air pollution, chemicals, secondhand smoke
  • In rare cases, a genetic defect: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, AAT (2 to 3% of deaths)

Symptoms

  • Age of onset: 40 or older

Physical Changes

  • Chronic bronchitis
    • Difficulty breathing due to swollen airways filled with mucus
  • Emphysema
    • Damaged air sacs. Can lead to hyperinflation, or the inability of the lungs to return to their normal shape after expelling air

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Guidelines