COPD and Asthma: Care Instructions

Overview

Some people who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may also have asthma. With both of these conditions, air doesn't flow easily in and out of your lungs. This can make it hard to breathe. You may be short of breath, wheeze, cough, or have mucus in your airways.

When you have COPD and asthma, it's important to follow your treatment plan.

There are two parts to your treatment:

• Controlling COPD and asthma over the long term.
• Treating attacks or flare-ups when they occur.

You and your doctor can make a plan that will help. This plan tells you the medicines you take to manage your symptoms and prevent attacks or flare-ups. It also tells you what to do if you have an attack or flare-up.

How can you care for yourself at home?

To control COPD and asthma

• If you smoke, try to quit or cut back as much as you can. Not smoking can help your lungs work better and help you feel better. It can also slow the progress of COPD. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good.
• Try to learn what sets off your COPD and asthma. Avoid these triggers when you can. Common triggers include infections like COVID-19, colds, the flu, or pneumonia. Other triggers include smoke, pollen, and air pollution.
• Check yourself for symptoms to know which step to follow in your action plan. Watch for things like being short of breath, having chest tightness, and coughing more than usual. Look for a change in the color or thickness of your mucus. Also notice if symptoms wake you up at night or if you get tired quickly when you are active or when you exercise.
• Check your lungs with a peak flow meter, if your doctor recommends it. Peak flow can tell you how well your lungs are working.
• If your doctor has not set you up with a pulmonary rehabilitation program, ask if rehab is right for you. This combines different treatments to help you reduce your symptoms and stay as active and healthy as you can.

Medicines

• Take your medicines exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor if you think you are having a problem with your medicine. COPD and asthma are treated with medicine to help you breathe easier. You may take:
  • Controller medicines. These prevent attacks and flare-ups before they happen. They are taken regularly. There are different types.
  • Quick-relief medicine. This is for times when you can't prevent symptoms and need to treat them fast. It can quickly relax the airways and allow you to breathe easier.
• Ask your doctor, pharmacist, or respiratory therapist how to use each of your inhalers correctly.
• Use oxygen if your doctor recommends it. Oxygen therapy boosts the amount of oxygen in your blood and helps you breathe easier. Use the flow rate your doctor recommends. Do not change it without talking to your doctor first.

Preventing infections

• Try to avoid infections such as COVID-19, colds, and the flu. Wash your hands often. You may want to wear a mask when you go to public indoor places. Try to avoid sick people.
• Stay up to date on vaccines. Get the pneumococcal and whooping cough (pertussis) vaccines. If you have had these vaccines before, ask your doctor if you need another dose. Get the flu vaccine every year. Stay up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines. Get the shingles vaccine. Ask your doctor if the RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine is right for you.

To treat attacks or flare-ups when they occur

• Follow your action plan. It can tell you what to do when you have an attack or flare-up.
• Take your quick-relief medicine exactly as prescribed. Talk with your doctor if you have any problems with your medicine.
  • Keep this medicine with you at all times.
  • You may need to use this medicine before you exercise to prevent an attack.
• If your doctor prescribed corticosteroid pills or other medicines to use during an attack or flare-up, take them as directed. They may shorten the attack and help you breathe easier.