Understanding COPD

What is COPD?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD for short, is a progressive lung disease that affects millions of people each year. COPD is a general term used to describe specific diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Emphysema involves destruction of the walls of the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs. This results in a smaller number of larger air sacs that have poor gas exchange capabilities. A chronic cough and chronic mucus production without another known cause characterize chronic bronchitis. A person with COPD may have either emphysema or chronic bronchitis, but most have both. Some people with COPD may also have an "asthma-like" or reactive component to their pulmonary disease.

What are the Goals of Treatment?

People with COPD can lead active and full lives. By diagnosing the disease early, treating symptoms, reducing the risk of complications and educating patients and families about COPD, doctors, nurses, and Respiratory Care Practitioners hope to improve the patients' quality of life. Our goal is to help people with COPD take charge of their breathing and regain or maintain control of their lives.

How is COPD Managed?

People with COPD must become actively involved in the management of their disease. Participating in the treatment plan will help people with COPD and their families achieve the best possible results.

Exercise and Healthy Lifestyle

An exercise or conditioning program is one of the most important aspects of managing COPD. Regular exercise can enable you to improve your overall strength and endurance. By improving general fitness respiratory muscles are strengthened. This improves your ability to perform activities despite shortness of breath. Many people with COPD enjoy walking, water aerobics and riding a stationary bike. Because poor nutrition is common for people with COPD, it is very important to eat a well-balanced diet and maintain a healthy weight. Shortness of breath and fatigue can interfere with your ability to eat a balanced diet. If you have special dietary needs discuss this with a health care professional.

Smoking Cessation

Another important step in managing COPD is quitting smoking. If you smoke, this action is the single most important thing you can do to help manage your disease and prevent further damage to your lungs. Smoking is the main cause of most chronic lung diseases like emphysema and chronic bronchitis. And once you have developed such a disease, smoking will make it worse. Even if you are participating in a rehabilitation program and following all the guidelines, your condition will get worse if you continue to smoke. A nicotine addiction can be very difficult to overcome. It involves chemicals that affect your body as well as your emotions and behavior. Under those circumstances, it's natural to try to convince yourself that it's okay to keep smoking. You may tell yourself that switching to low-tar cigarettes, smoking fewer a day, or switching to a pipe or cigars will be less harmful. You may even tell yourself that since the damage is already done you may as well continue. But the truth is, if you have lung disease and smoke even as few as two cigarettes a day your condition will get worse. There's no way around it-it's absolutely essential to give up smoking. You will also need to avoid other peoples smoke to help decrease irritation to your lungs. Each year more people are giving up smoking, and more effective ways to quit have been developed. Find a way that works for you. Quitting smoking is a difficult task. If you have trouble quitting on your own, ask your health care provider about programs and services to quit smoking.

Avoid Infection

Because people with COPD have an increased risk of respiratory infection, vaccines are generally recommended. You can receive the influenza vaccine and pneumonia vaccine to help prevent infection. Good hand washing can also help prevent the spread of germs and infections.

Medication Therapy

Your doctor may prescribe medications to control the symptoms of COPD. Bronchodilators help open the airways in the lungs and decrease shortness of breath. Inhaled or oral steroids may help decrease inflammation in the airways in some people. Antibiotics are often used to treat infections. For some people, cough expectorants can help clear mucus from the airways.

Bronchial Hygiene

In addition to medications, practicing good bronchial hygiene can help you get rid of mucus in your airways. Some people may benefit from chest physiotherapy. Treating the patient in certain positions and clapping on their chest and back can help some patients cough up thick mucus.

Breathing Retraining

Learning new breathing techniques, will help you move more air in and out with less effort. This helps decrease shortness of breath. Diaphragmatic breathing, pursed lips breathing and pacing your activities can be easily learned.

Oxygen Therapy

Some people with COPD may benefit from supplemental oxygen. Supplemental oxygen is necessary when there is not enough oxygen in the blood. Some people with COPD need oxygen only with activity or while sleeping. Many people with COPD need oxygen continuously, twenty-four hours a day. To achieve the maximum benefit, use your supplemental oxygen exactly as prescribed.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

A comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation program includes medical management, education, physical conditioning, nutrition counseling and consideration of psychological and social needs. A successful pulmonary rehabilitation program addresses the needs of each person and tailors the treatment to meet those needs.

Note: This information is provided to you as an educational service. It is not meant to be a substitute for consulting with your own physician.