Staying Healthy in Winter When You Have COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an umbrella term for a group of related diseases including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Although it is the third leading cause of death in the US, only half of the estimated 26 million Americans affected are aware that their shortness of breath and lingering cough are signs of a serious illness.

COPD results from long term irritation to the airways such as cigarette smoke and workplace pollution. In COPD the airways are frequently filled with mucus, which can be an ideal place for bacteria to grow. When a cold or flu virus affects the COPD affected airways, the additional inflammation can quickly lead to bronchitis or even pneumonia. In addition, people with COPD can develop what is known as an acute exacerbation. Symptoms of an acute exacerbation include fever, increasing shortness of breath and a worsening cough. When you have COPD this serious illness is a leading cause of hospitalization. Even with the best resources, acute exacerbations can be fatal. In those that recover there is often a permanent decline in lung function. To avoid problems, here are ten easy to follow tips to stay healthy during the cold and flu season:

1. Get a flu shot in early October. This will allow time for your body to build up immunity before the flu is established in the community.
2. Ask your family to also get immunized. Our immune response drops as we get older and a flu shot may not give you the immunity you need. If your entire family is flu-free, it lessens the chance that the older generation will become a flu statistic.
3. Get the pneumonia vaccine every ten years. After the age of 65 only one additional dose is recommended.
4. Wash your hands before eating and after going to work and using public transportation.
5. Raise your immunity by avoiding stress and getting enough sleep.
6. Don’t smoke and limit alcohol. Both lower natural immunity to colds and flu. They paralyze the tiny cilia in the airways that sweep out mucus that traps cold and flu viruses and excess mucus causing congestion and obstruction in the nose and throat.
7. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. It’s been shown that people whose diets are high in natural antioxidants are less likely to develop COPD, even if they are smokers. However, supplements do not provide the same benefits.
8. Ask your doctor about using antibiotics for respiratory infection. Although antibiotics have no benefits against routine colds and flu, secondary bacterial infections can happen quickly in COPD.
9. If you do develop a cold or the flu, relieve fever and body aches with ibuprofen since about 10 percent of COPD patients with asthma have an allergy to aspirin.
10. You can use antihistamines to relieve congestion, but you should avoid decongestant pills and sprays, which are known to raise blood pressure.

***

Neil Schachter, MD, is a Professor in the Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Division of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He is a member of the multidisciplinary team of the Mount Sinai – National Jewish Health Respiratory Institute.