If you have certain symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), antibiotics may help. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease has updated the COPD treatment guidelines on antibiotics. The guidelines now recommend that antibiotics be used to treat worsening COPD caused by a bacterial infection.
These are instances when antibiotics should be prescribed:
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When a patient's COPD worsens and the person has these three symptoms: increased dyspnea (difficulty breathing), an increase in the amount of sputum (mucus), and an increase of infected sputum (pus). Infected pus is usually noted by a change in the color of the sputum to yellow, green, or brown.
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When a patient has two of the above symptoms and an increase in infected sputum is one of those symptoms
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When a patient's COPD worsens so that mechanical ventilation is needed
It is important to see your health care provider early for an antibiotic when you have the symptoms listed above. Likewise, an antibiotic may not be needed when you have just a simple cold.
Related Video: All About Inhalers
Video: All About Inhalers
Cleveland Clinic respiratory therapist Mary Kay Bossard demonstrates the proper technique for using inhalers, and explains the importance of using medications to manage COPD and asthma.
Click here for complete Prescribing Information and Medication Guide
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.
Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
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