How is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treated?
The damage to the lungs in COPD cannot be repaired. But treatment can relieve symptoms. The only thing that can slow the progress of the disease is to stop smoking. So if you’re a smoker, the single most important thing you can do is stop smoking. This slows down COPD and minimizes future damage to the lungs. Medicines can also help you feel better. Common medicines used to treat COPD include: • Bronchodilators. These medicines open up air passages in the lungs. • Inhaled steroids. These medicines relieve symptoms by reducing inflammation in the lungs. • Antibiotics. These medicines are used to clear up infections in the lungs. Sometimes doctors also recommend the following for women with COPD: • Get a flu shot every year. Influenza (flu) can cause serious problems for people with COPD. • Get the pneumococcal vaccine. This vaccine reduces the risk of some kinds of pneumonia. • Pulmonary rehabilitation. Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program that helps people cope physically and mentally
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