When you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you don’t breathe normally. You may easily get short of breath. You might also notice a feeling of congestion in your chest.
Patients with COPD today have newer, more effective treatments available to alleviate their symptoms and to give them a renewed sense of well-being. Let’s take a look at some of the latest offerings for treating COPD and where you can go to find out more about what can be done for you.
Trelegy
Trelegy is a once-daily, inhalable medication comprising fluticasone furoate, umeclidinium, and vilanterol:
· Fluticasone furoate is classified as a corticosteroid, and it decreases swelling in your airways.
- Umeclidinium helps with wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. It is classified as an anticholinergic, or a long-acting antimuscarinic receptor antagonist (LAMA), meaning it blocks a certain receptor in the airway muscle so that the airway doesn’t tighten.
- Vilanterol is a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) that opens and relaxes your airways.
Together, these drugs effectively address your COPD in three different ways.
Bevespi
This treatment isn’t new, but it’s the newest LAMA/LABA combination. It’s an inhalable medication that’s used for maintenance and is not meant to treat sudden COPD attacks.
The drug helps to manage your condition in two different ways. It consists of formoterol fumarate (a LABA) and glycopyrrolate (a LAMA).
Usually, you take two puffs twice per day. One of its benefits is that it does not have any apparent contraindications with any other medications, so you will not have to be concerned about whether another medication you take might work against it.
Daliresp
Daliresp is for people who have severe COPD. It’s for maintenance only, to help stop wheezing and shortness of breath, so you’ll still need to use a bronchodilator for sudden symptoms.
Roflumilast is the active ingredient, and it is classified as a phosphodiesterase. It works by decreasing swelling and irritation in your airways.
This medication is taken orally as a tablet.
Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction
Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) is a surgical procedure to improve your lung function and optimize your exercise endurance in terms of your breathing. This is performed today as a minimally invasive procedure.
During the procedure, your surgeon places special valves into your airways. This allows any secretions and trapped air to escape through.
Urgent Care Center in Rochester, NY for Treating COPD
Chronic disease management is one of our specialties at Cornerstone Urgent Care Center. We offer treatments for chronic health conditions including COPD, diabetes, allergies, and beyond – for you and your whole family – right here in Rochester. We stay on top of the latest research to offer you the most revolutionary treatments available.
If you have any questions, contact the friendly staff at Cornerstone Urgent Care Center today by calling us at (585) 207-0088. This is an urgent care clinic, so feel free to walk right in – but if you’d like, you can complete our online check-in feature before arriving. We look forward to seeing you.
