COPD medications and inhalers
Several medications can help people with COPD to breathe better. Some open your airways, others relax the muscles around them. These are usually taken with an inhaler.
Almost 9 in 10 Australians don’t use their inhaler properly¹. It’s important to have your doctor, practice nurse or pharmacist show you how. Using it correctly helps you get the most from your medication. Some people may need more than one medication. Take your medications daily as your doctor tells you, even if you feel well.
Here are the main types of medications:
- Reliever medications: For quick relief when you’re breathless
- Maintenance medications: For long-term use to control symptoms and prevent flare-ups
- Flare-up medications: For short-term use when your COPD gets worse.
To get the most from your medications, it’s important to know:
- What each medicine does
- When to take each medication
- How to use your inhaler
- What to do if you have a flare-up.
How to use different inhalers
Using an inhaler is a skill. Almost 90% of Australians don’t use theirs correctly. Even people who feel confident about using their inhalers can get it wrong. Our videos teach you how to use different inhalers the right way.
Oxygen therapy
If you have severe COPD and low oxygen levels, your specialist might prescribe home oxygen. This can help your organs function and improve your quality of life, but it doesn’t always stop breathlessness. Some people need oxygen all the time, others only when they’re active. While oxygen therapy may relieve breathlessness in some people, in many cases, it does not.
If you want to learn more about COPD medications, visit our blog.
Self-management
Even if you take medications for COPD, there are other ways to help you live well. These include quitting smoking, exercising, learning breathing techniques, managing stress and eating well. It’s good to have a personal action plan for when your COPD gets worse, watch your symptoms and talk to your doctor when you need to.
COPD Action Plan
COPD Action Plan helps you to understand your normal, everyday symptoms and medicines. The guide also helps you to know when your symptoms change or get worse and what to do. You can fill it out with your doctor, specialist or nurse to keep track of your medications.
My COPD checklist
Use our checklist as a quick and easy way to understand which parts of your COPD care are going well and where you can improve. You’ll get a personalised report with tips to help you manage your condition better or support someone you love.
Resources
Pressurised Metered Dose Inhaler (pMDI) Puffer Inhaler Device Technique Fact Sheet
This fact sheet explains how to correctly use a puffer, also known
COPD The Basics
The COPD: The Basics booklet from Lung Foundation Australia is a simple
C.O.P.E. COPD Online Patient Education
The COPD-X Plan: Australian and New Zealand guidelines for the management of COPD
Lung Foundation Australia is proud to offer free, downloadable COPD General Practice
Inhaler device technique: Genuair®
The Genuair® inhaler is a breath-activated device used to deliver medication to
Inhaler device technique: Zonda®
The Zonda inhaler is a dry powder inhaler used to deliver medication
References
1 National Asthma website – Basheti IA, Armour CL, Bosnic-Anticevich SZ, Reddel HK. Evaluation of a novel educational strategy, including inhaler-based reminder labels, to improve asthma inhaler technique. Patient Educ Couns 2008; 72: 26-33.
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