|
Treatment overview
Pulmonary specialists have a variety of options to choose from when designing treatment for individual patients. If patients smoke, getting them to quit is the most important step in controlling COPD and preventing further lung damage. Medications cannot reverse permanent damage to the lungs. But in most cases, they can help ease shortness of breath. With progression of damage, the lungs' ability to transfer oxygen into the blood decreases and oxygen therapy may be needed. Oxygen therapy helps supply the body with this needed gas and should not be viewed as a treatment of last resort.
|
|  |
|
Pulmonary rehabilitation, an often-overlooked form of therapy, may actually be the most beneficial of the various treatment options. All PR programs include an exercise program, patient education, and assessment of the person's psychosocial status. Some also include smoking cessation and attempts to identify conditions commonly associated with COPD such as heart failure, depression, and osteoporosis. Research shows that this comprehensive approach to treating COPD results in less breathlessness and a better quality of life. Also, for small group of COPD patients, one of several surgical procedures, such as lung volume reduction, may be appropriate.
This section has more on:
|
