Symbicort inhaler and Spiriva inhaler are approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for treatment of airflow obstruction, caused due to conditions like asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or even emphysema.

Symbicort inhaler comes in two variants with the Symbicort 160/4.5 for patients who are suffering from COPD and Symbicort 80/4.5 or 160/4.5 for patients who have asthma. Most common COPD related adverse reactions include nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, sinusitis, bronchitis, oral candidiasis for which the inhaler 160/4.5 is recommended by medical professionals. Dosage recommendations for COPD include two inhalations, administered in the morning and evening.

Symbicort happens to be the most commonly used inhaler for people who are suffering from asthma. It has a lower respiratory flow requirement when compared to your dry powder inhaler and can also be used without a spacer. Spacers help the medication pump into the lungs for maximum effect. However, there is no need for one when using the Symbicort inhaler. The recommended dosage for patients who are 12 years and older include two inhalations, one administered in the morning and the other in the evening.

Excessive use of any inhaler medication will lead to the accumulation of formoterol which can lead to complications if accumulation is above the dosage determined safe. This is why follow dosage and usage directions as instructed by your physician to ensure proper administration of the medication.

Spiriva inhaler is available in three variants mainly for people who are suffering from COPD and asthma. Symbicort inhaler or Spiriva both are handy when it comes to tackling associated respiratory disorders which is why there is an ongoing debate when it comes to the Symbicort inhaler or Spiriva inhaler and handihaler.

Spiriva Respimat is not a rescue medication, which means it should not be used for sudden breathing problems. Any inhaler for that matter is it Symbicort inhaler or Spiriva inhaler should be used in the recommended dosage for COPD or asthma-related problems and their associated symptoms.

Spiriva inhaler for patients who are suffering from COPD help keep the airways open due to the slow moving mist medication as opposed to using dry powder inhaler. There are a few noticeable side effects of using a Symbicort inhaler or Spiriva inhaler, but these are mild discomforts which will go away in a couple of hours after the medication takes effect. However, if symptoms do persist, visit your local physician to determine the exact cause of the same.

Anora ellipta COPD treatment is another options when comparing the best inhalers for COPD treatment.

Many people make drastic lifestyle changes after receiving a health scare. It works well if you make these amends when the time is right, but if you start changing unhealthy habits in the niche of time, the chances are high that the damage is already done and is quite difficult to reverse. One such ailment that builds over a period of time, and sudden lifestyle changes cannot control is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

What is COPD?
COPD is a disease that affects the lungs and the respiratory functions. When the lungs are affected, it affects ones’ ability to breathe. People who suffer from COPD have chronic lung problems and experience trouble breathing. The treatment of COPD patients is a prolonged one, and these treatment methods allow the patients to attempt to lead a normal life.

What are the causes of COPD?
COPD is an outcome of one’s blatant abuse of the body. The foundation of this disease is laid when the lungs are damaged due to smoking. Even passive smokers aren’t safe from the onslaught of COPD. COPD is a combination of two disease- Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema, the former is characterized by the inflammation of the bronchial tubes and the presence of mucus; whereas, the latter affects the air sacs and affect its elasticity. The misery of both these diseases combined gives rise to COPD.

What are the treatment options for COPD patients?
COPD cannot be cured overnight, and the treatment methods for COPD patients is a prolonged one. The following treatment methods are used for COPD patients-

• Medications– The pain experienced by COPD patients is excruciating, so to ease this pain and control COPD, the physician prescribes certain medications. Of all the pain-relieving medications and the ones to clear the lungs, bronchodilators have proven to be quite effective. As a treatment for COPD, glucocorticosteroids is also prescribed. This is to reduce the inflammation.
• Oxygen Therapy- Since COPD patients have trouble breathing due to the damage to their lungs, Oxygen therapy has proven to be a useful treatment method for COPD patients. This is also done in a bid to prevent a heart failure resulting due to a lack of oxygen in one’s body.
• Lifestyle Changes– Since COPD is largely a result of a faulty lifestyle, which involves smoking and the use of tobacco, one needs to make amends to these. Quitting smoking, following a healthy diet, and seeking the right professional help is also a kind of treatment for COPD patients.
• Surgery– Surgery is a treatment option for patients with chronic COPD. One such treatment for COPD patients is bullectomy, where the surgeons remove large damaged air sacs from the lungs, and the other surgery involves lung volume reduction to get rid of the damaged lung tissue. Surgery is the last resort for treating COPD patients.

Oxygen therapy for COPD is more than 60-70 years old. In this long period, a vast amount of knowledge has been gained of both the advantages and dangers of the same. Newer ideas always spring and experiments and their evaluation is part of any scientific endeavor. Oxygen therapy is giving air enriched with oxygen to breath. One type is exertion induced COPD. Oxygen enriched air is to be breathed in only during the exercise. This is seen to increase endurance and efficacy of exercise. This helps patients to maintain or even improve their physical fitness improving the COPD also. The real need of long-term oxygen therapy is for those suffering chronic oxygen deficiency in their blood. The condition is called chronic hypoxemia or hypoxia.

Long-term oxygen treatment will improve the quality of life and also lifespan. One suffers less shortness of breath. It slows or even prevents Right Sided Heart Failure, which is the normal consequence of COPD.

Oxygen therapy for chronic COPD is resorted to after normal medical treatments for COPD have ceased to benefit the patient. There are different ways to introduce the oxygen. Oxygen concentrators, liquid oxygen devices, and the more conventional oxygen cylinders can all be used to augment the oxygen into the air that is breathed.

However, people who use oxygen therapy at home should be well aware of the dangers of oxygen. Even air enriched to seemingly low levels of 28% can cause conflagrations of unbelievable intensity. Any fuel will spontaneously catch fire in air that is of this level of enrichment. Portable systems even suitable for air travel are also available.

Studies have shown that long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) improves one’s life quality as well as lifespan. Patients need to breathe the enriched air for at least 15 hours a day with as fewer interruptions as possible, and preferably continuously. The oxygen level in the blood is to be maintained in a narrow band of 88% to 92% saturation (titrated flow) against normal levels of 94% to 98%. To overcome the dangers of hypoxemia, the best thing to do is to use the pulse oximetry set to titrate oxygen delivery to achieve 88-92% saturation, a ‘venturi mask’ (or an air-entrainment mask) setting oxygen concentration to 25% to 28% concentration or in the absence of any of the above, a flow rate of oxygen by nasal prongs or catheter can be set 2 to 3 L/min.

Modern research has shown the better efficacy of delivering bronchodilator with a flow rate of 6L/min in acute exacerbation of COPD. The medical personnel should monitor the patient for complications of hypoxemia like carbon dioxide retention.

COPD, a disease of the lungs, is a deadly disease that does not have a particular set of treatment. The cure for this disease has not been found yet. Life expectancy with COPD is subjective and changes according to the stage of the disease. The higher the stage of the disease, the shorter is the life expectancy of the patient suffering from COPD. Even if this condition cannot be treated, the patient can work towards increasing the life expectancy.

Let us look at some treatment measures that can help increase the life expectancy with COPD.

• Set goals. COPD is one of the deadliest diseases and only the sufferer can tell the amount of pain they must go through. But it is up to the patient to the patient to set some goals for themselves and achieve them, in order to increase their life expectancy.
  Firstly, let’s look at some goals the patient will have to achieve:
• Keep yourself away from air pollution and quit smoking, if you are a smoker.
• Make sure to take the medications for limiting your symptoms, such as shortness of breath.
• Indulge into mild workout and breathing exercises to improve your overall health
• Take the right medication to avoid flare-ups or treat them in case of their occurrence.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation. The goals mentioned above can be met with the help of pulmonary rehabilitation; it is a rehab that can help boost your immunity, overall health, train your mind to be positive, strengthen your muscles, and your heart so that you can get the best out of your heart. At the rehab, you will be treated by a team of professionals that will work towards increasing your life expectancy as well as make you stronger than you are, both physically, and mentally. The process, generally, involves breathing therapy, exercises, dietary advice and some education about the disease.
• Oxygen treatment. In the later stages of your COPD you might need the help of oxygen treatments to increase the life expectancy. Oxygen treatment involves the use of machines, and face masks that help you in breathing, as you would face those problems due to the lack of strength in lungs.
• Antibiotics. Antibiotics can be helpful in killing the bacteria that is causing a bacterial lung infection. They also prevent the diseases like pneumonia and general lung infections. These infections usually lead to COPD exacerbations, or flare-ups, hence it becomes necessary to avoid these infections.

COPD or Chronic Oppressive Pulmonary Disorder is not a single condition. It simply means a condition of the lungs which makes breathing difficult because of chronically constricted air passages. Chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, cystic fibrosis, all can cause COPD. The cause is constant irritation of the lung specifically the bronchi and bronchioles and a genetic predisposition. This leads them to swell and secrete mucus. As the condition continues, the bronchioles and alveoli lose the elasticity. During an episode of severe coughing or deep inhalation, they over expand and remain so. This results in stagnation of air and also their capacity to take a full quantity of air during inspiration. This, in turn, leads to the lower partial pressure of oxygen and less transfer to blood. The carbon dioxide partial pressure in the alveoli will be higher reducing its transfer from blood to the air. The approach to the treatment in the initial stages is to eliminate the cause of allergy or allergen if known. The approach is to reduce the swelling of the bronchioles and the usual medicines are nasally administered corticosteroids and bronchodilators both long acting and short acting depending on the situation.

COPD signs and treatment
Signs and symptoms of COPD, which is very insidious, appear only after significant damage has happened to the lungs. The initial symptoms are very much like asthma or chronic bronchitis, tightness of chest, breathlessness or shortness of breath on exertion, wheezing and chronic cough with sputum generation, clearing one’s throat first thing in the morning because of the mucus accumulation in the lung, blueness of the lips or fingernail beds, frequent respiratory infections, lack of energy and swelling in ankles, leg or feet. One may also suffer unexplained weight loss. Medical COPD also has periodic flare-ups of symptoms which last for several days.

However, as the condition deteriorates, the lung does not transfer enough oxygen to the blood. The patient starts to suffer oxygen deficiency or hypoxemia. It may be only when the individual exerts physically the deficiency become apparent in breathlessness or in shortness of breath. On further deterioration, the lack of oxygen may start to be felt in sleep also. The condition has reached a critical condition and oxygen needs to be supplied by mechanical means. Continued unabated hypoxemia leads to further complications like pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy and ultimate failure. COPD can cause lung cancer too.

Treatments for COPD
Acute conditions require hospitalized treatment, and one might need to use inhalers for COPD, undergo drug treatment and even COPD oxygen therapy.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, going by the household name of COPD, is a chronic condition. This condition is faced about approximately 24 million users till the current date. The primary organ affected by this disease is the lungs, the breathing capacity of the lungs drops significantly as their condition starts to deteriorate. The life expectancy in COPD is very subjective and usually, depends on the stage of the disease. Unfortunately, the cure for this disease has not been found yet.

COPD usually goes through can differ according to the patient; it goes through either emphysema or chronic bronchitis. Even though both these conditions are different, they are associated with restricting airflow to the lungs and making breathing a difficult activity.

Let’s look at the life expectancy with COPD.

• When we talk about the progression of COPD and the life expectancy of the patient suffering from it, there is an underlying fact that this condition has no cure. In this case, death is inevitable, the life expectancy is dependent on the medication and in most cases, the willpower and mental strength of the patient.
• COPD, is a condition that gropes the sufferer and life expectancy is very limited; there is no straightforward answer to the question. The life expectancy in COPD depends on more than one factor, like the overall health of the patient, occurrence of other medical conditions, habits like smoking or alcoholism, lifestyle, and frequency of tedious activities.
• The best bet for most sufferers of COPD to gauge their life expectancy is to rely on the GOLD system. This is a system developed by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; it helps in tracking the progression of COPD with four stages. The stages are as mentioned below:
• Stage 1 very mild COPD
• Stage 2 moderate COPD
• Stage 3 severe emphysema/chronic bronchitis
• Stage 4 very severe COPD

Every stage has its own impact on the sufferer, the potency of the impact increase with the progression in the stage. The higher the stage, the shorter the life expectancy.

• The BODE index is another way of measuring COPD life expectancy. BODE stands for Body-mass index, airflow Obstruction, Dyspnea, and Exercise. The doctors use this method to keep track of the stages and suffering of the patient.
• According to most results, the doctors have found out that patients that quit smoking even after being diagnosed with COPD have a higher life expectancy than current or ongoing smokers.

Bad lifestyle choices have more impact on our health than we think. Bad eating habits, smoking, and chewing tobacco might seem cool when we are young, but these factors play a major role in bringing about deterioration before the process of aging even sets in. One such disease that is brought upon us due to our negligence is the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, more commonly known as COPD.

COPD is the result of smoking for a long period and leaving the damage to the lungs unchecked. It is a combination of two diseases, Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema, each of these are known to cause immense misery individually, so imagine the damage the combination of these can do.

Treatment of COPD patients is long-term since it is quite difficult to reverse the effects of prolonged smoking. However, various natural methods can help in treating COPD patients, without the usual side-effects that medications come with. These home treatment methods for COPD patients are as follows-

• The water therapy– This is the simplest method of treating patients with COPD. All the individual has to do is keep themselves hydrated. One of the reasons why people suffer from a chronic cough is due to the accumulation of mucus in the lungs, and drinking lots of water can help clear the mucus. Also, using a humidifier can ease the breathing difficulties as well.
• Eucalyptus Oil– Eucalyptus Oil is known to possess medicinal properties and comes in handy for treating COPD patients. It has been proven that eucalyptus oil is instrumental in reducing exacerbations in COPD patients and reduces the inflammation that has affected the air sacs, which is a common symptom in people suffering from COPD.
• Ginseng– People often dismiss the use of herbal medicine in curing ailments believing it to be a part of the ancient apothecary. However, these facts stand corrected since ginseng; a herbal supplement has proven to be quite effective in the treatment of COPD patients. Ginseng can relieve the COPD patients from their breathing issues since it works wonders on the respiratory system.
• Antioxidant Vitamins– It is advisable to add foods rich in antioxidants to the diet of COPD patients, or else they can directly consume supplements of the same. Antioxidants are instrumental in utilizing oxygen effectively, and this proves to quite helpful when one experiences difficulty in breathing.
• Quit Smoking– One might wonder how quitting smoking qualifies as a treatment method for COPD patients. But, smoking is what caused this disease in the first place. It is difficult to reverse the effects of smoking on the lungs, but one can surely quit smoking when the slightest symptoms of COPD surfaces. It’s better to nip the disease in the bud.