did you know? COP D is the 4th leading cause odeath i n the United States and causes serious, long-term disabi lity. Te number opeople with COP D is increasing. More than 12 million people are currently diagnosed with COPD and an additio nal 12 mill ion likely have the disease a nd don’t even know it. But there is reason for hope. You’ve taken the rst step by being aware oyour sy mpt oms and seeing your doctor or testing and d iagnosis. Now that you know you have COPD, your doctor can sug gest treatment optio ns and ways to help you manage COPD and improve your qualityolie. what is copd? COPD is a serious lung disease that over time makes it hard to breathe. Y ou may also have h eard COPD called by other names, like emphysema or chronic bronchitis. In people who have COPD, the airways—tubes that carry a ir in and out oyour lungs—are partially blocked, which makes it hard or the air to get in and out. COPD d evelops slowly and worsens over time, so be sure to call your doctor to report any new symptoms or iyour current symptoms get worse. when you are diagnosed with copd Tere are many things that you can do to make living with COPD easier: Quit SmokingIyou smoke, the best thing you ca n do to preven t more damage to your lungs is to quit. Ask your doctor about new options o r quitting. Manyresources to help you quit are available online. Visitwww.smokefree.gov; www.lungusa.org; or call 1-800-QUINOW or more inormation. Avoid Exposure to Pollutants ry to stay away rom other things that could irritate your lungs, like dust and strong umes. Stay indoors when the outside air quality is poor. You should also stay away rom places where there might be cigarette smoke. Visit Y our Doctor on a Regular Basis See your doctor regularly, even iyou are eeling ne. Be sure to bring a list o all medicines you are taking to each doctor’s visit. Follow Treatment Advice Be sure to take your medications and ollowyour doctor’s advice on how to treat your disease. Iyou have any questions—ASK! Breathing BetterWith a COPD Diagnosis Talk with your doctor about treatmentoptions. You can take steps to make breathing easier and live a longer andmore active life. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
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8/14/2019 (Health) Breathing Better With a COPD Diagnosis
COPD is the 4th leading cause o death inthe United States and causes serious, long-termdisability. Te number o people with COPD isincreasing. More than 12 million people
are currently diagnosed with COPD and anadditional 12 million likely have the disease anddon’t even know it.
But there is reason for hope . You’ve taken therst step by being aware o your symptoms andseeing your doctor or testing and diagnosis.Now that you know you have COPD, your doctorcan suggest treatment options and ways to helpyou manage COPD and improve your quality o lie.
what is copd?
COPD is a serious lung disease that over timemakes it hard to breathe. You may also have heardCOPD called by other names, like emphysemaor chronic bronchitis.
In people who have COPD, the airways—tubesthat carry air in and out o your lungs—arepartially blocked, which makes it hard or theair to get in and out. COPD develops slowly and
worsens over time, so be sure to call your doctorto report any new symptoms or i your currentsymptoms get worse.
when you are diagnosed
with copd
Tere are many things that you can do to makeliving with COPD easier:
Quit Smoking
I you smoke, the best thing you can do to preventmore damage to your lungs is to quit. Ask yourdoctor about new options or quitting. Many resources to help you quit are available online.Visit www.smokefree.gov ; www.lungusa.org ; ocall 1-800-QUI NOW or more inormation.
Avoid Exposure to Pollutants
ry to stay away rom other things that couldirritate your lungs, like dust and strong umes.Stay indoors when the outside air quality is poor. You should also stay away rom places where theremight be cigarette smoke.
Visit Your Doctor on a Regular BasisSee your doctor regularly, even i you are eelingne. Be sure to bring a list o all medicines youare taking to each doctor’s visit.
Follow Treatment Advice
Be sure to take your medications and ollow your doctor’s advice on how to treat your disease.I you have any questions—ASK!
Breathing Better
With a COPD Diagnosis
Talk with your doctor about treatment options. You can take steps to make
breathing easier and live a longer and more active life.
C h r o n i c O b s t r u c t i v e P u l m o n a r y D i s e a s e
8/14/2019 (Health) Breathing Better With a COPD Diagnosis
Take Precautions Against the FluDo your best to avoid crowds during u season.It is also a good idea to get a u shot every year,since the u can cause serious problems or people with COPD. You should also ask your doctorabout the pneumonia vaccine.
The “airways” are the tubes that carry air in
and out of the lungs through the nose andmouth. Healthy airways and air sacs in the
lungs are elastic—they try to bounce back to
their original shape after being stretched or
lled with air, just the way a new rubber band
or balloon does. This elastic quality helps
retain the normal structure of the lung and
helps to move the air quickly in and out.
In people with COPD, the air sacs no longer
bounce back to their original shape. The
airways can also become swollen or thicker than normal, and mucus production might
increase. The oppy airways are partially
blocked, or obstructed, making it even
harder to get air out of the lungs.
How Does COPD
Affect Breathing?
copd
healthy
Seek Support From Other COPD PatientsTere are many COPD support groups oferedat local hospitals and there is a very active COPDcommunity online. Family members are alsoa great resource or support as you learn to live with and manage COPD.
taking action
Once you have been diagnosed with COPD, thereare many ways that you and your doctor can work together to manage the symptoms o the diseaseand improve your quality o lie. Your doctor may suggest one or more o the ollowing options:
Medications (such as bronchodilators andinhaled steroids)
Bronchodilators are medicines that usually comein the orm o an inhaler. Tey work to relax themuscles around your airways, to help open themand make it easier to breathe. Inhaled steroids
8/14/2019 (Health) Breathing Better With a COPD Diagnosis
I you think you might be at risk or COPD, get asimple breathing test. alk with your doctor abouttreatment options. You can take steps to makebreathing easier and live a longer and more active lie.
For more inormation, visit www.LearnAboutCOPD.org .
Or contact the National Heart, Lung, and BloodInstitute at www.nhlbi.nih.gov .
Managing ComplicationsSymptoms o COPD can get worse all o a sudden. When this happens, it is much harder to catchyour breath. You might also have chest tightness,more coughing or a change in your cough(becomes more productive, more mucus isexpelled), and a ever.
When symptoms get worse quickly, it could bea sign o a lung inection. Tere could be other
causes or symptoms getting worse, such as heartdisease related to severe lung damage. Te bestthing to do is call your doctor right away so heor she can nd out what the cause o the problemis and take steps to treat it.
NIH Publication No. 07-5841Originally printed September 2006Reprinted December 2006
When To Get Emergency Help
Seek emergency help if your usual medications
aren’t working and:
n You nd that it is unusually hard to walkor talk (such as difculty completing