COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis
Duke’s nationally ranked lung program sets standards for treatment and management of COPD in North Carolina and around the world. COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, refers to two related conditions: emphysema -- when air sacs in the lungs that help transfer oxygen into the blood are destroyed -- and chronic bronchitis -- when airways leading to the lungs become inflamed, irritated, and scarred. No matter whether you have chronic bronchitis or emphysema, we offer the latest diagnostic tools and treatments to reduce your COPD symptoms, improve your lung function, get you back to good health, and improve your quality of life.
Helping You Manage COPD at Every Stage
If you struggle with wheezing, coughing, extreme shortness of breath, or frequent lung infections, our team of specialists can help. We offer the latest diagnostic tools for diagnosing COPD, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema early. We can help you control your symptoms through a personalized treatment plan that may include medicine, lifestyle changes, and our pulmonary rehabilitation program.
If you are in a later stage of COPD and don’t respond to traditional treatment options, we may evaluate whether you are a candidate for a more invasive therapy, such as surgical or bronchoscopic lung volume reduction, or a lung transplant. No matter which course of treatment you receive, our team is committed to helping you control your COPD symptoms and maximize your lung function.
Choosing Where to Receive COPD Treatment
When you choose Duke for help managing your COPD, you benefit from:
- A lung team that is consistently ranked in the top five by U.S. News and World Report, including a dedicated airway research center and a lung transplant team that is among the most active in the nation. In addition, lung care programs around the world have sought our pulmonary rehabilitation program as models for their own.
- A personal care team that may include lung doctors (pulmonologists), counselors, rehab specialists, and other healthcare professionals. Your team will address your unique healthcare needs, helping you manage your emphysema or chronic bronchitis, as well as your COPD symptoms.
- A five-week pulmonary rehabilitation program that teaches you how to exercise, eat right, quit smoking, lose weight, and make other lifestyle changes that will keep your chronic bronchitis and emphysema under control, improve your COPD symptoms, and maximize your lung function.
- Our active clinical research into the latest COPD treatments.
COPD
Treatments
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Research has found that stopping smoking reduces the risks of COPD progressing or getting worse, no matter how old you are or the stage of your illness. We offer several excellent smoking cessation programs and aids to help you kick the habit.
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Relax the muscles and reduce inflammation around your airways, allowing them to expand and let more air through. This makes it easier to breathe.
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Improves your lung function and prevents flare-ups that may cause emergency room or hospital visits.
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Allows you to pursue more activities at home or when you go out, exercise more, and feel more comfortable in daily life.
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For certain patients, LVRS can improve chances of survival and quality of life -- while decreasing your need for oxygen. During LVRS, your doctor removes a diseased portion of your lung, allowing your healthy lung tissues to expand and function better.
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May be the recommended course of treatment for people with advanced lung disease.
COPD
Tests
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Determines whether you have COPD and the stage of your illness by measuring the amount of air in your lungs and the rate at which they empty.
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CT scans take detailed 3-D images to help detect lung anatomy and lung function.