COPD - control drugs
Description
Control medicines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are drugs you take to control or prevent symptoms of COPD. You must use them every day for them to work well.
These medicines are not used to treat flare-ups. Flare-ups are treated with quick-relief (rescue) drugs.
Depending on the medicine, control drugs help you breathe easier by:
- Relaxing the muscles in your airways
- Reducing any swelling in your airways
- Helping the lungs work better
You and your doctor can make a plan for the control drugs that you should use. This plan will include when you should take them and how much you should take.
You may need to take these drugs for at least a month before you start to feel better. Take them even when you feel OK.
Ask your doctor about the side effects of any medicines you are prescribed. Be sure you know which side effects are serious enough that you need to call your doctor right away.
Follow instructions on how to use your medicines the right way.
Make sure you get your medicine refilled before you run out.
Video: COPD inhaler
Alternative Names
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - control drugs; Bronchodilators - COPD - control drugs; Beta agonist inhaler - COPD - control drugs; Anticholinergic inhaler - COPD - control drugs; Long-acting inhaler - COPD - control drugs; Corticosteroid inhaler - COPD - control drugs
Anticholinergic Inhalers
Anticholinergic inhalers include:
- Aclidinium (Tudorza Pressair)
- Glycopyrronium (Seebri Neohaler)
- Ipratropium (Atrovent)
- Tiotropium (Spiriva)
- Umeclidinium (Incruse Ellipta)
Use your anticholinergic inhalers every day, even if you do not have symptoms.
Beta-agonist Inhalers
Beta-agonist inhalers include:
- Arformoterol (Brovana)
- Formoterol (Foradil; Perforomist)
- Indacaterol (Arcapta Neohaler)
- Salmeterol (Serevent)
- Olodaterol (Striverdi Respimat)
DO NOT use a spacer with beta-agonist inhalers.
Inhaled Corticosteroids
Inhaled corticosteroids include:
- Beclomethasone (Qvar)
- Fluticasone (Flovent)
- Ciclesonide (Alvesco)
- Mometasone (Asmanex)
- Budesonide ( Pulmicort)
- Flunisolide (Aerobid)
After you use these drugs, rinse your mouth with water, gargle, and spit.
Combination Inhaled Medicines
Combination medicines combine two drugs and are inhaled. They include:
- Albuterol and ipratropium (Combivent Respimat; Duoneb)
- Budesonide and formoterol (Symbicort)
- Fluticasone and salmeterol (Advair)
- Fluticasone and vilanterol (Breo Ellipta)
- Formoterol and mometasone (Dulera)
- Tiotropium and olodaterol (Stiolto Respimat)
- Umeclidinium and vilanterol (Anoro Ellipta)
- Glycopyrrolate and formoterol (Bevespi Aerosphere)
- Indacaterol and glycopyrrolate (Utibron Neohaler)
- Fluticasone and umeclidinium and vilanterol (Trelegy Ellipta)
Phosphodiesterase Inhibitor
Roflumilast (Daliresp) is a tablet that is swallowed.
Antibiotics
Azithromycin is a tablet that is swallowed.
References
Anderson B, Brown H, Bruhl E, et al. Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement website. Health Care Guideline: Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). 10th edition. www.icsi.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/COPD.pdf. Updated January 2016. Accessed February 28, 2018.
Han MK, Lazarus SC. COPD: clinical diagnosis and management. In: Broaddus VC, Mason RJ, Ernst JD, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 44.
Rabe KF, Watz H. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Lancet. 2017;389(10082):1931-1940. PMID: 28513453 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28513453.
Vogelmeier CF, Criner GJ, Martinez FJ, et al. Global strategy for the diagnosis, management and prevention of chronic obstructive lung disease 2017 report: GOLD Executive Summary. Respirology. 2017;22(3):575-601. PMID: 28150362 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28150362.