Skip Navigation
Book Now! Find care near you Find care near you Find care near you
wellstar-logo
Wellstar Go Back
Go to MyChart

Questions? We can help!

Call (770) 956-STAR (7827)

Monday - Friday, 7 AM - 4:30 PM

Contact Us
For Patients & Families Community For Providers About Us Careers
  • Start Your Care

  • Find a Doctor
  • Find a Location
  • Our Services
  • Virtual Visits
  • Planning

  • Accepted Insurance
  • Financial Assistance
  • Pricing Information
  • Before Your Visit

  • Sign Up for MyChart
  • Visitation Guidelines
  • Pick a Caregiver
  • While You're Here

  • Support & Entertainment
  • Join an Event
  • After Your Visit

  • Pay Your Bill
  • Get Medical Records
  • Contact us
  • COVID-19 Support

  • COVID-19 Information
  • Vaccines
  • Testing Information
  • Visitation Updates
  • Foundation Relief
  • Community Health

  • Health Highlights
  • Community Health Needs Assessment
  • Latest News
  • Center for Health Equity
  • Events & Programs

  • Community Outreach
  • Events Calendar
  • On-Demand Classes
  • Support Groups
  • Give

  • Wellstar Foundation
  • Donate
  • Ways to Give
  • Thank a Caregiver
  • Volunteer

  • For Adults
  • Care

  • Transfer a Patient
  • Cures Act
  • Refer a Patient
  • Lab Test Directory
  • Request to Conduct Research
  • Connect

  • Physician Relations
  • Request Imaging Services
  • Wellstar Clinical Partners
  • Wellstar Medical Group
  • Mayo Clinic Care Network
  • Log In

  • EpicCare Link
  • Lawson Connect
  • MyID Password Reset
  • Citrix Access
  • Leadership

  • Authority Board
  • Board Of Trustees
  • Foundation Board
  • Regional Health Boards
  • Executive Leadership
  • Awards, Recognition & Safety

  • Accreditation & Certifications
  • Awards & Recognition
  • Safety First Program
  • Careers at Wellstar

  • Apply now
  • Upcoming virtual events
  • Why Wellstar?
  • Nursing Careers

  • Nursing (Direct Care)
  • Nursing Leadership
  • Nursing (Non-bedside)
  • Nursing Support
  • Physician, APP & Clinical Careers

  • Advanced Practice Providers (APPs)
  • Allied Health Professionals
  • Homecare & Hospice
  • Physicians
  • Support Team Careers

  • Administrative & Clerical
  • Coding, Compliance & HIM Systems
  • Facility, Environmental & Nutrition/Food Services
  • Information Technology & Systems
  • For Patients & Families
  • Community
  • For Providers
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Search Search Search
  • MyChart MyChart MyChart

Start Your Care

Find a DoctorFind a LocationOur ServicesVirtual Visits

Planning

Accepted InsuranceFinancial AssistancePricing Information

Before Your Visit

Sign Up for MyChartVisitation GuidelinesPick a Caregiver

While You're Here

Support & EntertainmentJoin an Event

After Your Visit

Pay Your BillGet Medical RecordsContact us

COVID-19 Support

COVID-19 InformationVaccinesTesting InformationVisitation UpdatesFoundation Relief

Community Health

Health HighlightsCommunity Health Needs AssessmentLatest NewsCenter for Health Equity

Events & Programs

Community OutreachEvents CalendarOn-Demand ClassesSupport Groups

Give

Wellstar FoundationDonateWays to GiveThank a Caregiver

Volunteer

For Adults

Care

Transfer a PatientCures ActRefer a PatientLab Test DirectoryRequest to Conduct Research

Connect

Physician RelationsRequest Imaging ServicesWellstar Clinical PartnersWellstar Medical GroupMayo Clinic Care Network

Log In

EpicCare LinkLawson ConnectMyID Password ResetCitrix Access
About Wellstar

Our patients are the center of everything we do. We're nationally ranked and locally recognized for our high-quality care, inclusive culture, exceptional doctors and caregivers, and one of the largest and most integrated healthcare systems in Georgia.

About Us

Leadership

Authority BoardBoard Of TrusteesFoundation BoardRegional Health BoardsExecutive Leadership

Awards, Recognition & Safety

Accreditation & CertificationsAwards & RecognitionSafety First Program

Careers at Wellstar

Apply nowUpcoming virtual eventsWhy Wellstar?

Nursing Careers

Nursing (Direct Care)Nursing LeadershipNursing (Non-bedside)Nursing Support

Physician, APP & Clinical Careers

Advanced Practice Providers (APPs)Allied Health ProfessionalsHomecare & HospicePhysicians

Support Team Careers

Administrative & ClericalCoding, Compliance & HIM SystemsFacility, Environmental & Nutrition/Food ServicesInformation Technology & Systems
Questions? We can help!

Call (770) 956-STAR (7827)

Monday - Friday, 7 AM - 4:30 PM

Contact Us
Close
  • Urgent Care
  • Primary Care
  • Virtual Care
  • Emergency Care
Close Close Close Book Now Menu
  • Urgent Care
  • Primary Care
  • Virtual Care
  • Emergency Care

Introducing

Wellstar Virtual Care

Access Wellstar healthcare providers
wherever you are.

Get started

Warning Warning Our "Book Now" feature should not be used for life threatening conditions such as heart attack, severe injury, poisoning, chest pain, or stroke. If you are experiencing such conditions, STOP and CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY or visit your nearest Emergency Department.

I Understand

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

  • Home
  • Medical Services
  • Health Conditions and Diseases
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
  • Overview
  • Prevention
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment
  • Ongoing Care

COPD Overview

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of lung diseases that affect the lung’s airways and air sacs and make it difficult to breathe. The two main types of COPD are chronic bronchitis, defined by a long-term cough with mucus; and emphysema, defined by destruction of the lungs over time. Most people with COPD have a combination of both conditions. COPD can’t be cured, but Wellstar can help you manage COPD to improve your quality of life.


Symptoms

COPD symptoms may develop slowly over time. They include:

  • Coughing with mucus
  • Wheezing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fatigue
  • Frequent respiratory infections
  • Tightness in the chest

These symptoms may appear years before airflow into and out of the lungs is impaired, and having these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you have COPD. It’s also possible to have COPD and not experience these symptoms.

While the causes of COPD are not completely understood, the major risk factor for COPD is smoking. Other factors include:

  • Exposure to certain gases or fumes in the workplace.
  • Exposure to secondhand smoke.
  • Exposure to pollution and dust.
  • A family history of COPD.
  • Gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), a severe form of acid reflux, can damage the esophagus and can cause or worsen COPD.
  • A rare genetic condition called alpha-l antitrypsin deficiency can contribute to lung damage that can lead to COPD.

COPD Prevention

Lung damage caused by COPD cannot be reversed, but there are steps you can take to prevent it from occurring or worsening. These include:

  • Stop smoking if you smoke cigarettes, cigars or a pipe.
  • Avoid secondhand smoke, pollution, dust and other airborne contaminants.
  • Live a healthy lifestyle.
  • Get seasonal flu and pneumonia vaccines.

COPD Diagnosis

The sooner COPD is diagnosed, the sooner your treatment can begin. While COPD can’t be cured, the symptoms can be managed so that you feel better and can participate more fully in everyday activities.


Tools and Tests

Wellstar physicians use a wide spectrum of diagnostic tools and tests for assessment of patients who may have COPD, including:

  • Chest X-ray
  • Spirometry
  • Lung volume tests
  • Lung compliance tests
  • Arterial blood gas testing
  • Pulse oximetry
  • Cardiopulmonary stress tests
  • Mucus culture

COPD Treatment

Wellstar’s comprehensive and integrated treatment for COPD has achieved significantly lower mortality rates than the national average. This achievement places Wellstar in the top 10% of hospitals in the United States in COPD and pneumonia care.


Treatment Options

COPD treatment options include:

  • Smoking cessation, because smoking is the leading cause of COPD.
  • Oxygen therapy, when appropriate, to help patients:
  • Live longer
  • Manage tasks or activities with fewer symptoms
  • Protect their hearts and other organs from damage
  • Sleep more during the night
  • Improve alertness during the day

Medications, which include:

  • Bronchodilators which are usually taken using an inhaler, relax and open the muscles around your airways, making breathing easier.
  • Inhaled steroids, which may reduce swelling in the airways for people with moderate to severe COPD.
  • Flu and pneumonia vaccines are important for people with COPD, who are at higher risk of developing complications with both diseases.
  • Pulmonary rehabilitation does not cure COPD, but it can teach you to breathe in a different way so you can stay active and improve your quality of life. Rehabilitation services include exercise, disease management and nutritional and psychological counseling.
  • Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) is sometimes necessary to remove damaged tissue from the lungs.

Treatment of sleep disorders can help with symptoms of COPD as well. Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital Sleep Disorders Center is one of the largest American Academy of Sleep Medicine accredited centers in the nation, with satellite sleep labs at Wellstar Douglas and Paulding hospitals.

Ongoing Care for COPD

People who suffer with COPD can learn to manage their symptoms and regain control of their lives. Wellstar can design a long-term treatment plan to help persons with COPD improve their quality of life.


Smoking Cessation

Quitting smoking is one of the most important and challenging steps in effective COPD management. Wellstar offers Smoking Cessation programs that educate people about smoking risks, encourage behavior modification to help minimize smoking urges and offer numerous coping strategies. Several different methods for changing smoking behavior are explored so that individuals learn approaches that work best for them.

Rehabilitation objectives for COPD include:

  • Maximizing independence
  • Reducing severity of symptoms
  • Increasing exercise tolerance
  • Reducing anxiety related to the lung condition
  • Ensuring safe and swift recovery from surgical procedures
  • Improving an individual’s ability to participate in day-to-day activities

COPD basics

Education goals include teaching patients:

  • How to cope with and manage COPD
  • How to effectively use medications
  • Lifestyle changes and exercises to improve quality of life
  • How nutrition and special breathing techniques can help manage COPD symptoms and improve quality of life

More Information

For more information, call our outreach line.

(770) 956-STAR

Back to Top
Branding illustration
Wellstar Logo
More than healthcare. PeopleCare.
Branding illustration
For Job Seekers & Team
Careers Onboarding
For Students
Students Portal
Graduate Medical Education
Medical Residency Pharmacy Residency
For Business
Occupational Medicine Corporate Purchasing
For the Media
Media Room Community Health Needs Assessment
Help
Contact Us Pay Your Bill Policy & Privacy Information Hospital Transparency Information
For Job Seekers & Team
Careers Onboarding
For Students
Students Portal

Graduate Medical Education
Medical Residency Pharmacy Residency
For Business
Occupational Medicine Corporate Purchasing
For the Media
Media Room Community Health Needs Assessment
Help
Contact Us Pay Your Bill Policy & Privacy Information Hospital Transparency Information

Copyright © 2023 Wellstar Health System. All Rights Reserved.

Wellstar does not discriminate on, exclude people or treat them differently on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression or any other type of discrimination prohibited by law.