What is the management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

Management of COPD would be divided into two parts: Reduction of risk factors and Medical intervention. Smoking cessation is the single most effective and cost effective way of reducing the risk and progression of the disease process. Reduction of exposure to all the other environmental risk factors is also important in reducing the risk and progression of the disease. COPD is treated depending on the severity of the disease. Major pharmacologic players in the treatment of COPD would be your bronchodilators usually in the form inhalers or nebulizing solutions and your glucocorticosteroids also usually in the inhaled form, but intravenous and oral preparations are also used depending on the severity and presentation of the disease. Pulmonary rehabilitation has been proven to be an effective non pharmacologic tool in the treatment of COPD. It improves exercise capacity, reduces perception of breathlessness, improves quality of life, reduces number of hospitalizations and length of hospital stay and reduces depression and anxiety.