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Latest 2023 COPD Symptoms and Treatment Options
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Most of the time, it’s caused by long-term exposure to irritating gases or particles, usually from cigarette smoke. The two most common conditions that lead to COPD are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Most people with COPD have both of these problems, and the severity of each can vary.
COPD sufferers can breathe easy in 2023, with a range of effective new treatments on prescription.
Chronic bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from the air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs. It is marked by coughing and making sputum (mucus) every day. Emphysema is a condition in which the alveoli at the end of the lungs’ smallest airways (bronchioles) are destroyed by cigarette smoke and other gases and particles that irritate the lungs.
COPD is a progressive disease that gets worse over time. However, with the right care, most people with COPD can control their symptoms, improve their quality of life, and lower their risk of getting other conditions that are linked to COPD. The symptoms of COPD haven’t changed much over time, but the ways to treat it have. Compare the causes, symptoms, and treatments for this debilitating disease in 2023, and talk to your doctor right away about a good prescription.
Most of the time, it’s caused by long-term exposure to irritating gases or particles, usually from cigarette smoke. The two most common conditions that lead to COPD are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Most people with COPD have both of these problems, and the severity of each can vary.
COPD sufferers can breathe easy in 2023, with a range of effective new treatments on prescription.
Chronic bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from the air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs. It is marked by coughing and making sputum (mucus) every day. Emphysema is a condition in which the alveoli at the end of the lungs’ smallest airways (bronchioles) are destroyed by cigarette smoke and other gases and particles that irritate the lungs.
COPD is a progressive disease that gets worse over time. However, with the right care, most people with COPD can control their symptoms, improve their quality of life, and lower their risk of getting other conditions that are linked to COPD. The symptoms of COPD haven’t changed much over time, but the ways to treat it have. Compare the causes, symptoms, and treatments for this debilitating disease in 2023, and talk to your doctor right away about a good prescription.
Symptoms of COPD Include Shortness of Breath, Wheezing and a Chronic Persistent Cough
COPD symptoms usually don’t show up until the lungs have been severely damaged, and they usually get worse over time, especially if the person keeps smoking.
Some of the signs and symptoms of COPD are:
• Having trouble getting enough air, especially when doing physical activities
• Wheezing
• Pain in the chest
• A cough that lasts for a long time and makes mucus that may be clear, white, yellow, or greenish.
• Getting sick often in the lungs
• Not enough energy
People with COPD may also have what are called exacerbation episodes, which are times when their symptoms get worse than they normally do from day to day and last for at least a few days. Get medical help right away when you can’t catch your breath, your lips or fingernail beds are very blue, your heart beats quickly, or if you feel fuzzy and can’t focus.
A Multitude of Risk Factors Can Trigger and Exacerbate The Symptoms of COPD
Most cases are caused by smoking cigarettes, and the best way to avoid getting COPD is to quit smoking now. Exposure to chemical fumes and dusts at work is another thing that can lead to COPD. When you work with these types of lung irritants, you should talk to your boss about the best ways to keep yourself safe, such as using equipment to protect your lungs.
Risk factors for COPD include:
Exposure to tobacco smoke:
• Long-term smoking is the thing that puts you at the most risk for COPD. The risk is higher the longer you smoke and the more packs you smoke.
When a person has asthma:
• Asthma, which is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways, may be a risk factor for COPD. When you have asthma and smoke, your risk of COPD goes up even more.
Exposure to dusts and chemicals at work:
• Chemical fumes, vapors, and dusts can irritate and inflame your lungs if you are around them for a long time at work.
Being around the smoke from burning fuel:
• People in the developing world who burn fuel for cooking and heating and live in homes with poor ventilation are more likely to get COPD.
Genetics:
• Some cases of COPD are caused by the rare genetic disorder alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.
2023 Treatments of COPD Include Bronchodilators, Inhaled Steroids and Combination Inhalers
Many COPD sufferers have mild versions of the condition, which need no treatment beyond quitting smoking. Effective treatments may manage symptoms, delay disease development, lower your risk of complications and exacerbation, and enhance your ability to lead an active life, even for more advanced stages of the illness.
Bronchodilators:
Bronchodilators are medications that usually come in inhalers, they relax the muscles around your airways. This can help relieve coughing and shortness of breath and make breathing easier.
Examples of long-acting bronchodilators include:
• Aclidinium (Tudorza Pressair)
• Arformoterol (Brovana)
• Formoterol (Perforomist)
• Indacaterol (Arcapta Neoinhaler)
Inhaled steroids:
Inhaled corticosteroid medications can reduce airway inflammation and help prevent exacerbation. Side effects may include bruising, oral infections and hoarseness. These medications are useful for people with frequent exacerbation of COPD.
Examples of inhaled steroids include:
• Fluticasone (Flovent HFA)
• Budesonide (Pulmicort Flexhaler)
Some medications combine bronchodilators and inhaled steroids.
Examples of these combination inhalers include:
• Fluticasone and vilanterol (Breo Ellipta)
• Fluticasone, umeclidinium and vilanterol (Trelegy Ellipta)
