UNDERSTANDING COPD

What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

Understanding COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is important in finding the best treatment for you. COPD is a group of lung diseases that makes it harder to breathe. COPD is also progressive, which means it can worsen over time.

Talk to your doctor about treatment and lifestyle changes that may help you manage your condition. If you’d like some help with the conversation, get the free guide.

Common Types

Chronic Bronchitis vs Emphysema

Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are the two most common conditions of COPD. While they both make breathing difficult, they affect the lungs in different ways. It is possible to have both conditions in varying degrees.

Chronic Bronchitis
Chronic bronchitis is a condition where the airways in the lungs are inflamed all the time. This causes:

increased cough

reduced air flow

Bronchitis may be considered chronic (or long-term) if a person coughs and produces excess mucus most days for at least 3 months in each of 2 consecutive years.
Emphysema
Emphysema is a condition where the air sacs (alveoli) inside the lungs are affected. Healthy air sacs expand when you breathe in and return to their original size when you breathe out. But with emphysema:

air sacs have become enlarged

air sacs cannot return to normal size

When air sacs are not emptying as they should, it causes air to become trapped, making it hard for air to enter.

COPD Causes & Risk Factors

These are some of the causes and factors that may put you at risk for developing COPD.

Smoking and secondhand smoke

Air pollution

Chemical fumes or dust

COPD Stages

COPD can be mild, moderate, or severe.
To make this determination, your doctor will examine you, give you a breathing test (spirometry), and assess your medical history. Based on the amount of limited airflow from your breathing test, your doctor will see where you fall in the GOLD* classification and determine your COPD severity. There are 4 grades or stages in the GOLD classification, with 4 being the most severe. Your doctor will also evaluate your symptoms and previous flare-ups to determine where you stand with your COPD.

*GOLD stands for Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease.

Visit COPD.com to learn more about COPD stages.

Symptoms & Flare-ups

Recognizing COPD symptoms

You probably know the COPD symptoms that are normal for you. But did you know that they can evolve or change over time? And sometimes they can be hard to recognize as COPD. Why? Because people may mistake symptoms for “getting older” in general. Or assume a symptom is caused by weight gain and not COPD.

If your current symptoms change or if you have new ones, don’t dismiss them—tell your doctor. And if you’re currently on a maintenance medication, your doctor may consider switching your treatment.

COPD symptoms include:

Difficulty breathing

You may experience shortness of breath and/or wheezing during normal activity or while at rest.

Chest tightness

You may have the feeling that something is squeezing or sitting on your chest, making it hard to breathe.

Coughing up mucus

You may experience a change in the amount or color of mucus coughed up.

What’s a COPD flare-up?

A flare-up (or exacerbation) is when your usual COPD symptoms become much worse for several days or weeks (not simply when you need to use your rescue inhaler) and require one or more of the following:

Steroids (like prednisone)
Antibiotics
Emergency room visit
Hospital stay

Respiratory viral or bacterial infections cause many flare-ups. But triggers range from pollution to stress, and they can be different for everyone. Flare-ups often come on suddenly, so it helps to be prepared with a COPD plan. Partner with your doctor to create one. Remember, “toughing it out” is not a plan. It’s just tough. So be sure to tell your doctor how your COPD truly affects you.

Approved Uses

Important Safety Information

Approved Uses & Safety Info

Approved Uses

Once-daily TRELEGY is a prescription medicine used long term to treat COPD, including chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both and to treat asthma in adults. TRELEGY 100/62.5/25 mcg is the only strength approved for COPD. TRELEGY is not used to relieve sudden breathing problems and won’t replace a rescue inhaler.

Limitations of Use
TRELEGY is not used to relieve sudden breathing problems and will not replace a rescue inhaler. TRELEGY should not be used in children younger than 18 years of age. It is not known if TRELEGY is safe and effective in children younger than 18 years of age.

TRELEGY contains vilanterol. Long-acting beta₂-adrenergic agonist (LABA) medicines such as vilanterol,

TRELEGY contains vilanterol. Long-acting beta₂-adrenergic agonist (LABA) medicines such as vilanterol, when used alone, increase the risk of hospitalizations and death from asthma problems. TRELEGY contains an ICS, an anticholinergic, and a LABA. When an ICS and LABA are used together, there is not a

Important Safety Information

TRELEGY contains vilanterol. Long-acting beta₂-adrenergic agonist (LABA) medicines such as vilanterol, when used alone, increase the risk of hospitalizations and death from asthma problems. TRELEGY contains an ICS, an anticholinergic, and a LABA. When an ICS and LABA are used together, there is not a significant increased risk in hospitalizations and death from asthma problems.
Do not use TRELEGY to relieve sudden breathing problems. Always have a rescue inhaler with you to treat sudden symptoms.
TRELEGY should not be used in children younger than 18 years of age. It is not known if TRELEGY is safe and effective in children.
Do not use TRELEGY if you have a severe allergy to milk proteins or are allergic to any of the ingredients in TRELEGY. Ask your healthcare provider if you are not sure.
Do not use TRELEGY more often than prescribed.
Do not take TRELEGY with other medicines that contain a LABA or an anticholinergic for any reason. Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions and about all the medicines you take.
Call your healthcare provider or get medical care right away if your breathing problems get worse, if you need your rescue inhaler more often than usual or it does not work as well to relieve your symptoms.
TRELEGY can cause serious side effects, including:
- fungal infection in your mouth or throat (thrush). Rinse your mouth with water without swallowing after using TRELEGY to help reduce your chance of getting thrush.
- pneumonia. People with COPD have a higher chance of getting pneumonia. TRELEGY may increase the chance of getting pneumonia. Call your healthcare provider if you notice any of the following symptoms: change in amount or color of mucus; fever; chills; increased cough; increased breathing problems.
- weakened immune system and increased chance of getting infections.
- reduced adrenal function. This can happen when you stop taking oral corticosteroids and start taking inhaled corticosteroids.
- sudden breathing problems immediately after inhaling TRELEGY. If this happens, stop taking TRELEGY and call your healthcare provider right away.
- serious allergic reactions. Call your healthcare provider or get emergency medical care if you get any of the following symptoms: rash; hives; swelling of your face, mouth, and tongue; breathing problems.
- effects on heart: increased blood pressure; a fast or irregular heartbeat, awareness of heartbeat; chest pain.
- effects on nervous system: tremor; nervousness.
- bone thinning or weakness (osteoporosis).
- eye problems including glaucoma, increased pressure in your eye, cataracts, blurred vision, worsening of narrow-angle glaucoma, or other changes in vision. You should have regular eye exams while using TRELEGY. Acute narrow-angle glaucoma can cause permanent loss of vision if not treated. Symptoms of acute narrow-angle glaucoma may include: eye pain or discomfort; nausea or vomiting; blurred vision; seeing halos or bright colors around lights; red eyes. If you have these symptoms, call your healthcare provider right away before taking another dose.
- new or worse urinary retention. Symptoms may include: difficult, painful, or frequent urination; urination in a weak stream or drips. If you have these symptoms, stop taking TRELEGY and call your healthcare provider right away.
- changes in laboratory blood values, including high levels of blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and low levels of potassium (hypokalemia).
- slowed growth in children.
Common side effects of TRELEGY 100/62.5/25 mcg for COPD include: upper respiratory tract infection; pneumonia; bronchitis; thrush in your mouth and throat (rinse your mouth with water without swallowing after use to help prevent this); headache; back pain; joint pain; flu; inflammation of the sinuses; runny nose and sore throat; taste disturbance; constipation; painful and frequent urination (signs of a urinary tract infection); nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea; mouth and throat pain; cough; and hoarseness.
Common side effects of TRELEGY for asthma include: runny nose and sore throat; upper respiratory tract infection; bronchitis; respiratory tract infection; inflammation of the sinuses; painful and frequent urination (signs of a urinary tract infection); flu; headache; back pain.

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

GSK for you — If you don’t have prescription coverage, need cost information, or need help paying for your medicine, visit GSKforyou.com or call 1-866-GSK-FOR-U

TRELEGY ELLIPTA was developed in collaboration with

The shape of the ELLIPTA inhaler is a trademark of the GSK group of companies.

Trademarks are property of their respective owners.

This is my caption

UNDERSTANDING COPD

On this page

What is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

Common Types

Chronic Bronchitis vs Emphysema

Chronic Bronchitis

Emphysema