Treatment Navigation
Check out each of our sections to learn more about COPD treatment.
- Disease Management
- Behavioral Management
- Medications
- Vaccinations
- Therapy and Rehabilitation
- Surgery
Looking Ahead
What are the future goals for the treatment of COPD?
An important part for the future of treating COPD is to prevent disease progression. By preventing the disease progression, doctors will be able to drastically slow lung deterioration and potentially even stop the patient's symptoms from worsening once the disease has been diagnosed. Similarly, medications that could reverse the damage done by COPD would be a major breakthrough. Another future breakthrough for treating COPD would be genetic testing which would allow doctors to determine a patient's susceptibility to developing COPD, and potential medication responsiveness. It is also important to make strides in reducing COPD mortality rates. This is important as COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.
Treatment and Disease Management
Although there is no cure for COPD, there are many options available to manage the disease.The overall goal for COPD treatment should be to:
- Manage symptoms.
- Slow the progression of the disease.
- Increase exercise tolerance and activity level.
- Improve overall health.
- Prevent and treat complications.
- Prevent and treat exacerbations or flare-ups.
- Prevent mortality.
Many guidelines developed by professional medical organizations are useful for medical professionals in diagnosing and managing COPD. The list below provides links to several of these guidelines.
- American College of Physicians (ACP)
- American Thoracic Society (ATS)
- European Respiratory Society (ERS)
- Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD)
There are many different treatments for patients with COPD. In addition to medications these include lifestyle changes, or behavioral management, vaccinations, therapy and rehabilitation, and surgery. Because treatment decisions for COPD are symptom based, the appropriate treatment options for each patient will vary. To help with the treatment of the disease, COPD patient management can be divided into four major components. These include:
- Assess and monitor disease.
- Reduce risk factors.
- Manage stable COPD.
- Manage exacerbations.
For more detailed information on disease management for COPD patients and the different treatment options click on the links provided below.
The first component is to
Another important part of treatment for COPD patients is having regular check-ups with their physician. By having regular check-ups, the patient and doctor are able to more closely manage the disease, and determine vital information, such as the progression of the disease and the effectiveness of their treatment.
NAMCP COPD Health Record
The NAMCP Patient Health Record has been designed to help patients keep track of information regarding their progress with COPD.
The health record has been designed to help patients become more involved and responsible with their COPD treatment. The health record offers patients a method for keeping track of important information about their COPD during doctor's visits.
NAMCP Physician Audit Tool
The NAMCP Physician Audit Tool is designed to provide the physician and practice with a view of how well patients with COPD are being managed and meeting appropriate guidelines and goals.
The NAMCP audit tool is currently available so that it can be downloaded to your personal computer and used as necessary. Currently, the audit tool is only available in Microsoft Excel format, and can only be used if you have Microsoft Excel installed on your computer. To save a copy of the audit tool, simply click on the link below.
NAMCP and or this website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. NAMCP does not endorse or imply endorsement of the content on any linked website. This website is to be used as an informational resource. With any health related concern, consult with your physician or healthcare professional.