Tips for Healthy Living

If you have COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both, there may be some lifestyle changes you can make to help manage your condition:

  • Quit smoking if you have not already.
  • Consider an exercise program.  Pulmonary rehabilitation, which includes exercise, has been shown to improve health-related quality of life for people with COPD.  Ask your healthcare provider if this may be right for you.
  • Eat a low-fat, low-salt diet.  Excess weight makes the lungs and heart work harder.
  • Drink enough water.  Chronic coughing is easier on your system if you keep well hydrated. Be sure to check with your healthcare provider first if medical conditions require that you watch your fluid intake.
  • Try to relax.  It’s natural to worry about COPD, but there are things you can do to manage anxiety.  Talk to your healthcare provider.
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about pursed-lip breathing.  Patients with COPD can use a pursed-lip breathing technique to help with shortness of breath.  Pursed-lip breathing is a simple way to slow your breathing and make it more effective. This is particularly effective when you are trying to catch your breath after exertion or work.

    Pursed-Lip Breathing Technique

    1. Concentrate on relaxing your shoulder and neck muscles.
    2. Inhale slowly, taking in a normal breath.
    3. Pucker your lips, sometime called “pursed lips.”
    4. Exhale while keeping your lips pursed, like you are breathing out through a straw. Try to exhale for at least four seconds. Sometimes it helps if you count to yourself while exhaling: one, two, three, four.
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about controlled coughing.  Some patients who suffer from COPD may have a chronic cough or produce excessive “sputum” , sometimes called mucus. Controlled coughing is a technique to help these patients cough more effectively.

    Controlled Coughing Technique

    1. Sit in an upright position in a chair or the side of your bed. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor and your body is leaning slightly forward.
    2. Fold your arms across your chest and take a slow, deep breath.
    3. Then lean slightly forward and press your arms against your chest. Keep your mouth slightly open and cough two to three times. Concentrate on making the coughs short and sharp, not long and drawn out.

      a. This technique works by loosening the mucus on the first cough and then clearing the mucus out of the airway on the remaining coughs.

    4. Next breath in through your nose. Try to breathe lightly and without force. The light breathing will help to keep the mucus from moving back into your lungs.
    5. Take a break and relax.
    6. Repeat if necessary.
  • Avoid people with colds and other respiratory infections.  These can make your symptoms worse.
 

Important Safety Information About ADVAIR DISKUS 250/50

ADVAIR DISKUS 250/50 is approved for adults with COPD, including chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both. You should only take 1 inhalation of ADVAIR twice a day. Higher doses will not provide additional benefits. People with COPD taking ADVAIR may have a higher chance of pneumonia. Call your doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms: change in amount or color of sputum, fever, chills, increased cough, or increased breathing problems. ADVAIR may increase your risk of osteoporosis and some eye problems (cataracts or glaucoma). You should have regular eye exams. Thrush in the mouth and throat may occur. Tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking ADVAIR. Do not use ADVAIR with long-acting beta2-agonists for any reason. ADVAIR does not replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms.

Complete Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for ADVAIR DISKUS® (fluticasone propionate and salmeterol inhalation powder).