When you experience a COPD exacerbation, you may need to use rapid-acting treatment, such as abronchodilator inhaler.
Sometimes, a COPD exacerbation requires urgent medical care or hospitalization.
While exacerbations are often treatable, they can be dangerous.
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Having too many exacerbations worsens COPD.
Preventing COPD flare-ups is an important part of living with this disease.
You’ll learn not only how to treat COPD exacerbations, but also how to prevent them.
What Is a COPD Exacerbation?
A COPD exacerbation is a sudden worsening of COPD symptoms.
Treating flare-ups as soon as they appear is important.
Early treatment can shorten the length of the exacerbation and prevent the flare-up from becoming severe.
What are COPD Flare-Up Symptoms?
Some people rarely experience COPD exacerbations, while others have frequent episodes.
You may experienceCOPD symptomslike fatigue, wheezing, and exercise intolerance on a regular basisor even every day.
Symptoms of a COPD exacerbation may include:
The symptoms of a COPD exacerbation can show up very quickly.
You may notice them within hours or days.
It is important that you seek medical attention when you experience these symptoms.
Causes of COPD Exacerbations
COPD is often described as an obstructive pulmonary disease.
This is because thebronchi(airways) are partially blocked due to mucus, inflammation, and lung damage.
It’s also possible to have a flare-up without a precipitating factor.
How Are COPD Exacerbations Diagnosed?
These medications are fast-acting, and they work by helping fire up the airway passages and reduce inflammation.
Urgent Care
There are cases, however, when COPD exacerbations can severely inhibit your breathing.
When this happens, you might need emergency treatment in a hospital setting.
Interventions often used in the treatment of a severe COPD exacerbation include:
Mechanical ventilation is a temporary intervention.
Antibiotics
If you have a bacterial lung infection, you will needantibiotics.
These are prescription medications that kill bacteria.
However, they are not effective for the treatment of viral or fungal lung infections.
Viral infections usually improve without antimicrobial treatment and fungal infections are treated with antifungal therapy.
If your healthcare provider prescribes an antibiotic for you, your symptoms may improve before your prescription is finished.
How to Prevent COPD Exacerbations
Prevention is important if you are at risk of COPD exacerbations.
You might also be advised to use pulmonary exercise equipment in your home.
The idea of pulmonary rehabilitation is to maintain physical and pulmonary conditioning.
This can optimize your lung function to prevent a decline in your respiratory abilities.
Summary
A COPD exacerbation is a sudden worsening of COPD symptoms.
COPD flare-up symptoms may include shortness of breath, chest tightness, and more difficulty breathing than normal.
Severe COPD exacerbations require emergency medical treatment.
COPD exacerbations can be treated and prevented.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you’re having flare-ups.
Diagnostic tests can help providers determine the cause so you’re free to get the right treatment.
Implement healthy lifestyle strategies to get maximum benefits and help prevent flare-ups.
- American Thoracic Society.Patient education | information series: exacerbation of COPD.
19(20)-EHC024-EF.AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Reviews.
Ko FW, Chan KP, Hui DS, et al.Acute exacerbation of COPD.Respirology.
2016;21(7):1152-65. doi:10.1111/resp.12780
