Treatments for COPD

COPD can be treated by daily and/or rescue medicines.  Also used to treat COPD are oxygen, and in some cases, surgery.  Keep in mind that you have to follow your treatment schedule so you can treat your COPD.  Talk to your doctor.   Make sure you know how to use your medicine and that you follow the schedule for taking it.  Do not stop taking them even if you start to feel better.

Daily medicines include short and long acting bronchodilators.  These are medicines you breathe in every day to keep your lungs open.

Rescue medicines are those that you breathe in.  The most common one is albuterol.  You only take this medicine when all of a sudden you need help breathing.

Oxygen is also a treatment for some patients whose lungs cannot give their body the amount it needs.  A doctor will measure how much is in your blood with pulse oximetry.  Your doctor will tell you how much oxygen you need based on your medical records.  There are many types of systems, so it will not be hard to find one that’s right for you.

Surgery is also a choice for some patients.  Sometimes, COPD patients can have lung transplants.  Another type is called lung volume reduction.  This is when the surgeon removes the sickest part of the lung.  Some people cannot have surgery.  You should talk to your doctor to see if surgery is right for you.