COPD: A Guide to Treatment and Prevention
Lung & RespiratoryCOPD

COPD Treatment: Medication, Lifestyle Changes, and More

COPD Treatment: Medication, Lifestyle Changes, and More
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Updated on June 25, 2026
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of lung diseases that block the flow of air into and out of your lungs, making it harder to breathe. A COPD diagnosis means you may have chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both.

Although there’s no cure for this disease, and the lung damage can’t be reversed, treatment options are available that can slow its progression and help you manage symptoms.

The most important step you can take to manage your COPD and curb the progression of the disease is to quit smoking.

For more advanced stages, several effective therapies are available that can relieve symptoms, slow the decline of lung function, reduce your risk of complications and exacerbations, and improve your ability to lead an active life. Your doctor will determine what treatment plan is right for you based on your stage of disease and the severity of your symptoms.

Medication for COPD

There are a number of prescription medications available to manage COPD. When you start a new medication, make sure you understand how and when to take it. Up to 58.7 percent of people with COPD who use inhaled medications take them incorrectly, according to research, which increases risk of hospitalization and death.

Medication costs prevent up to 19 percent of adults from being able to take their COPD medication reliably, which can worsen symptoms and hasten the decline of lung function.

 Programs are available if you need help paying for COPD medications. Prescription assistance programs offer discount cards, financial aid is available through select government and charitable programs, and some nonprofits provide advocates to help you apply for assistance.

Bronchodilators

Bronchodilators relax the muscles that tighten around the airways. This allows the airways to expand, making it easier to breathe and alleviating coughing and shortness of breath. Most bronchodilators are delivered through an inhaler or can be nebulized, so you breathe the medicine straight into your lungs.

Short-Acting Beta-Agonists This type of bronchodilator is used as a “rescue inhaler” for sudden bouts of shortness of breath, such as during exercising.

They include:

  • albuterol (ProAir, Proventil, Ventolin)
  • levalbuterol (Xopenex)
Long-Acting Beta-Agonists This type of bronchodilator is taken every 12 to 24 hours to consistently manage symptoms. These medications provide relief for many hours, but may take longer to start working. They include:

  • arformoterol (Brovana)
  • formoterol fumarate (Perforomist)
  • olodaterol hydrochloride (Striverdi Respimat)
  • salmeterol (Serevent)
Short-Acting Anticholinergics Anticholinergics block a chemical that causes the airways to contract and can be either short-acting or long-acting. The medication lasts for four to six hours and starts working 15 minutes after using an inhaler.

 A common short-acting anticholinergic is ipratropium bromide (Atrovent).
Long-Acting Anticholinergics These last between 12 and 24 hours, depending on the medication.

  • aclidinium bromide (Tudorza Pressair)
  • glycopyrrolate (Lonhala Magnair)
  • revefenacin (Yupelri)
  • tiotropium bromide (Spiriva)
  • umeclidinium (Incruse Ellipta)

Theophylline

Theophylline is a bronchodilator in pill form, though it isn’t commonly used in the United States, and according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, this medication isn’t preferred.

 It requires blood level monitoring to make sure the drug level is high enough to be effective, but not high enough to cause serious side effects. Shakiness is a common side effect, but serious side effects may include severe nausea, vomiting, irregular heartbeat, and seizures.

  • Common brand names of theophylline include Elixophyllin, Theo-24, and Uniphyl.

Corticosteroids (Steroids)

These drugs help reduce swelling and mucus production in the airways, making it easier to breathe. Steroids usually involve an inhaler device but can also be taken as a pill or an injection for short periods of time if your symptoms are more severe. Long-term use can cause other health problems, including diabetes, weight gain, osteoporosis, cataracts, and increased susceptibility to infections.

  • beclomethasone dipropionate (Qvar Redihaler)
  • betamethasone (Celestone)
  • budesonide (Pulmicort)
  • ciclesonide (Alvesco)
  • fluticasone furoate (Arnuity Ellipta, Flovent)
  • mometasone (Asmanex)
  • prednisone (Deltasone, Prednicot, predniSONE Intensol)

Combination Medicines

Sometimes COPD treatment involves an inhaler or nebulizer with a combination of bronchodilators and steroids, or more than one type of bronchodilator. For some individuals, a combination inhaler can act to both control current symptoms and prevent future symptoms.

Medications that include a bronchodilator plus an inhaled steroid include:

  • budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate (Breztri Aerosphere)
  • fluticasone furoate and vilanterol (Breo Ellipta)
  • fluticasone, umeclidinium, and vilanterol (Trelegy Ellipta)
  • formoterol and budesonide (Symbicort)
  • mometasone furoate and formoterol fumarate dihydrate (Dulera)
  • salmeterol and fluticasone (Advair, AirDuo)
Medications with multiple bronchodilators include:

  • aclidinium and formoterol (Duaklir)
  • albuterol and ipratropium (Combivent Respimat)
  • budesonide formoterol and glycopyrrolate (Breztri Aerosphere)
  • glycopyrrolate and formoterol fumarate (Bevespi Aerosphere)
  • glycopyrrolate and indacaterol (Utibron)

  • ipratropium bromide and albuterol (Combivent Respimat, DuoNeb)
  • olodaterol and tiotropium (Stiolto Respimat)
  • umeclidinium and vilanterol (Anoro Ellipta)

Phosphodiesterase-4 Inhibitors

This oral medication reduces airway inflammation and is used to prevent worsening COPD symptoms. Roflumilast (Daliresp) is approved in the United States for people with severe COPD and symptoms of chronic bronchitis. Side effects may include diarrhea, weight loss, stomach pain, headache, and dizziness.

Ensifentrine (Ohtuvayre), approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2024 as a maintenance therapy for COPD, is designed to work as both a bronchodilator and an anti-inflammatory to ease breathing while also helping to clear mucus from the lungs. Ensifentrine accomplishes this by acting on two enzymes in the lungs — phosphodiesterase 3 and phosphodiesterase 4 — that play a role in managing airway inflammation and muscle movements in the lungs. The medication is delivered directly to the lungs through a standard jet nebulizer.

 Side effects include minor issues such as back pain, diarrhea, and trouble sleeping, and more serious concerns such as signs of an allergic reaction, wheezing, and mood changes.

Antibiotics

Bacterial or viral infections can lead to COPD symptom exacerbations, like intensified coughing, mucus production, and shortness of breath. Antibiotics, like azithromycin (Zithromax), can help treat those infections, but side effects and antibiotic resistance may limit their use.

Mucolytics

Mucolytics are used to break up mucus in the lungs, making it easier to cough up. It comes in oral, intravenous, and nebulizer forms. Examples include:

  • guaifenesin (Mucinex)
  • mucolyte (bromhexine)
  • mucomyst (N-acetylcysteine)

Biologics

Biologics — which are made from living cells or components of living organisms, like proteins — are a newer class of medication for COPD that works by targeting parts of the immune system that contribute to chronic inflammation. These injectable therapies are for certain adults with poorly controlled COPD who have high levels of eosinophils, white blood cells that can cause inflammation in the lungs and trigger breathing problems. The drugs aren’t approved as a stand-alone treatment, but as an “add-on” therapy, especially for people whose symptoms aren’t adequately controlled with inhaled medications.

The only biologics approved for COPD are:

  • dupilumab (Dupixent)
  • mepolizumab (Nucala)

Supplemental Oxygen

If you have severe COPD and low levels of oxygen in your blood, you may require extra oxygen, or oxygen therapy, which is oxygen from a tank that’s provided through nasal prongs or a mask. This can help protect your organs from damage, improve your sleep, and help you become more active with fewer symptoms.

Medications
What it Does
Bronchodilators

Relax the muscles around the lungs’ airways

Short-acting beta-agonists

Treat sudden bouts of shortness of breath; effects wear off after about 4–6 hours

Long-acting beta-agonists

Maintain open airways throughout the day; can last up to 12–24 hours, but not as a rescue medication

Short-acting anticholinergic

Block the effects of acetylcholine, a chemical that causes the airways to contract; works 15 minutes after taking it and can last for 4–6 hours

Long-acting anticholinergic

Takes about 20 minutes to start working; effects last between 12–24 hours

Theophylline

Relaxes smooth muscles of the airways and has anti-inflammatory effect; not commonly used in the United States

Steroids

Reduce inflammation in the airways by inhibiting an immune response; recommended as combination therapy; usually prescribed for short periods of time

Combination inhalers

Combines either bronchodilators and inhaled steroids or multiple bronchodilators in one inhaler

Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors

A daily pill that reduces inflammation and relaxes the airways

Antibiotics

Treat bacterial infections that can worsen COPD symptoms

Biologics

Target parts of the immune system that contribute to chronic inflammation

Mucolytics

Thins mucus in the lungs, making it easier to cough up

Supplemental oxygen

Provides additional oxygen when you have low levels of oxygen in your blood

Surgery for COPD

In severe cases, doctors may recommend one of three basic types of surgical options to help improve your lung function.

Lung Volume Reduction Surgery

This involves removing a portion of diseased lung tissue, then joining together the remaining tissue. It can help relieve pressure on the breathing muscles and improve lung elasticity and gas exchange, but only a small subset of patients are candidates for this procedure. They include individuals with advanced COPD who are younger than 75, who haven't smoked for at least six months, and who are unable to exercise well even after completing a pulmonary rehabilitation program.

Bullectomy

People with a specific type of emphysema called bullous emphysema develop “air bubbles” (called bullae) due to the destruction of the walls between the air sacs in their lungs. In a bullectomy, the surgeon removes these bubbles. Surgeons typically operate on people who are struggling with symptoms despite treatment, or who have large areas of involvement in the lungs.

Lung Transplant

If your COPD has caused severe, irreparable lung damage, your doctor may recommend a lung transplant. A lung transplant can improve your ability to breathe. But like any major operation, this procedure comes with risks and potential complications, including infection, organ rejection, and risks associated with antirejection drugs that are required following a lung transplant.

Lifestyle Changes to Manage COPD

You can also ease COPD symptoms and slow the progression of the disease by taking some simple steps on your own. These include:

  • Participate in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. These personalized treatment programs typically combine COPD education, breathing strategies, exercise training, nutrition advice, and psychological counseling. Their goal is to help you stay active and carry out your everyday activities while improving your well-being. Talk to your doctor about referral to a program.
  • Get vaccinated. Respiratory infections are more dangerous when you have COPD. It’s especially important that you get all the recommended shots to prevent COVID-19, flu, and pneumonia.
  • Avoid lung irritants. The lungs of people with COPD are sensitive to certain irritating substances in the air. In addition to quitting smoking, also avoid exposure to secondhand smoke, exhaust fumes, strong perfumes, cleaning products, paint or varnish, excessive dust, and pollution.
  • Eat a healthy diet. Your body uses food as fuel for all of its activities, and that includes breathing. Talk to your doctor and a registered dietitian about diet changes that may help ease your COPD symptoms and increase your energy. Eating well can also help you maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight will make breathing even more difficult, while being underweight can leave you feeling weak and tired and more prone to lung infections.

Preventing COPD

The best way to prevent COPD is to never start smoking, and if you do smoke, to quit.

Smoking is responsible for up to 8 out of 10 COPD-related deaths, and 38 percent of U.S. adults diagnosed with COPD report current smoking.

Tobacco smoke triggers inflammation (irritation and swelling) that narrows the airways. Smoke also damages cilia (hairlike projections that line the airways) so they can’t do their job of removing mucus and trapped particles from the lungs.

If you have trouble quitting smoking, talk to your doctor about smoking cessation programs and products that can help you. Combining nicotine replacement with counseling, group support, and medication offers the best chance for success.

Other Ways to Reduce Your Risk of COPD

Smoking isn’t the only cause of COPD. As many as one out of four Americans with COPD never smoked cigarettes.

Long-term exposure to lung irritants — including secondhand smoke, air pollution, and chemical fumes or dusts from the environment or workplace — can also put you at risk of developing COPD.

Here are some tips to reduce your exposure to airborne irritants:

  • If you have a wood-burning stove or fireplace, make sure it’s well ventilated.
  • Stay indoors if there’s noticeable air pollution outside, such as smog or wildfire smoke.
  • Make your home and work environment free from secondhand smoke.
  • If you work in an environment where you are exposed to chemical fumes and dust, speak with your supervisor about respiratory protective equipment and other ways to protect yourself.

Resources We Trust

Additional reporting by Julia Califano.

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
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