COPD - control drugs
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - control drugs; Bronchodilators - COPD - control drugs; Beta agonist inhaler - COPD - control drugs; Anticholinergic inhaler - COPD - control drugs; Long-acting inhaler - COPD - control drugs; Corticosteroid inhaler - COPD - control drugs
Anticholinergic Inhalers
Anticholinergic inhaled medicines include:
- Aclidinium (Tudorza Pressair)
- Glycopyrronium (Seebri Breezhaler)
- Tiotropium (Spiriva)
- Umeclidinium (Incruse Ellipta)
- Revefenacin (Yupelri) is a long acting nebulized medicine
Use your anticholinergic inhalers every day, even if you do not have symptoms.
Beta-agonist Inhalers
Beta-agonist inhaled medicines include:
- Arformoterol (Brovana used with a nebulizer)
- Salmeterol (Serevent)
- Olodaterol (Striverdi Respimat)
Do not use a spacer with beta-agonist inhalers.
Inhaled Corticosteroids
Inhaled corticosteroids include:
- Beclomethasone (Qvar)
- Ciclesonide (Alvesco)
- Mometasone (Asmanex)
- Budesonide (Pulmicort can be used in an inhaler or as a nebulized solution)
After you use these medicines, rinse your mouth with water, gargle, and spit.
Combination Inhaled Medicines
Combination medicines combine two or three drugs and are inhaled. They include (list is not complete):
- Albuterol and ipratropium (Combivent Respimat; Duoneb)
- Budesonide and formoterol (Symbicort)
- Fluticasone and salmeterol (Advair)
- Fluticasone and vilanterol (Breo Ellipta)
- Formoterol and mometasone (Dulera)
- Tiotropium and olodaterol (Stiolto Respimat)
- Umeclidinium and vilanterol (Anoro Ellipta)
- Glycopyrrolate and formoterol (Bevespi Aerosphere)
- Fluticasone and umeclidinium and vilanterol (Trelegy Ellipta)
- Budesonide and glycopyrrolate and formoterol (Breztri Aerosphere)
For all these medicines, some generic forms have just become or will become available in the near future, thus different names might also exist.
Phosphodiesterase Inhibitor
Roflumilast (Daliresp) is a tablet that is swallowed.
Antibiotics
Azithromycin is a tablet that is swallowed.
References
Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) website. Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: 2024 report.
Han MK, Lazarus SC. COPD: clinical diagnosis and management. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 64.
Reilly J. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 76.
US Department of Veterans Affairs website. VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for The Management Of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Version 3.0, April 2021.
Waller DG. Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In: Waller DG, ed. Medical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 12.
Version Info
Last reviewed on: 5/3/2024
Reviewed by: Allen J. Blaivas, DO, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, VA New Jersey Health Care System, Clinical Assistant Professor, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, East Orange, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
