Indacaterol Treatment for COPD

100 Questions &
Answers About Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary
Disease (COPD)

There is a new treatment for COPD, known as Indacaterol.

FDA approved:  1st July 2011

Brand name: Arcapta

Generic name: Indacaterol

Previous name: QAB149

Company: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp

Treatment for: COPD

What is Arcapta?

Arcapta (Indacaterol) is a bronchodilator.

Indacaterol works by relaxing the surrounding muscles in the airways to open it up and improve breathing.

Arcapta is an inhaled medication to prevent bronchospasm in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which include bronchitis or emphysema.

Arcapta is not for use in asthma treatment.

Indacaterol is a fast acting once daily bronchodilator. It takes effect in 5 minutes and able to last for 24 hours.

Compare to conventional bronchodilator that takes 30 minutes for the medication to take effect and patients are required to take multiple doses throughout the day.

When taking the slower acting conventional bronchodilator medication, they did not feel or experience immediate effect and thought that the medication is not working.

Thus, this fast acting medication is good news to COPD patients.

Indacaterol is a long-term maintenance treatment for COPD.

What is COPD?

COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. COPD is a debilitating progressive chronic respiratory disease.

COPD is a group of lung conditions such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis that cause a narrowing of airways in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe.

COPD caused by cigarette smoking and is the fourth-leading cause of death in the America.

Stop Smoking

Even with the introduction of this new treatment, stubbing it out is still the best COPD treatment plan.

Smoking is still the primary cause of COPD. Smokers are 12 times more likely to die from COPD than non smoker.

Second-hand smoke can also cause COPD.

COPD sufferers who continue to smoke will find that their lungs function deteriorate rapidly.

Stop smoking, it is really not worth to smoke. Better to be late than never. Smoking damage on the lungs is ongoing.

Out of Breath

If you are a heavy smoker and smoke more than 50 sticks of cigarette per day.

Imagine this;

• Getting breathless at a slightest exertion.

• When climbing stairs you feel like running a
   marathon.

• Coughing keeps you awake all night.

• Feeling tired most of the time.

You might be suffering from COPD.

The symptoms are similar to common ailments such as cough and phlegm.

COPD is not easy to diagnose, you need to go through a combination of examinations, chest x-ray and a lung function test.

COPD causes difficulty in breathing because the tiny air sacs in your lungs are damaged.

You would also be suffering from chronic bronchitis which leads to thick mucus forming in your airways.

In the final stages of this disease, your lungs failed and you can literally suffocate to death.

COPD is the most common cause of death in smokers.

Inhaler therapy using bronchodilators which help to relieve shortness of breath are often prescribed by doctors.

Warning Sign of COPD

• Breathlessness even with mild or slightest exertion.

• Abnormal sputum comprising a mixture of saliva and
   mucus in the airway.

• Coughing for more than 8 weeks.

• Fatigue and dizziness.

Most of us take fresh air for granted. Until you run out of breath.

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is incurable, treatment is required for life.

Early diagnosis and treatment helps to prevent further damage to your lung tissues.

And now there is a new treatment option available.

Posted by: Mo Salle

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