Q: What is COPD?
A: COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. COPD is a serious lung disease that gets worse over time. It can "take your breath away." When you have COPD, you are not able to breathe normally.
Q: How many people have COPD?
A: Experts believe that about 10 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD. However, just as many people have some form of lung impairment but have not been diagnosed with COPD.
Q: What are the symptoms of COPD?
A: Shortness of breath is the reason most people seek medical attention for COPD. Other common symptoms include chronic cough, increase and/or change in sputum (also called phlegm) after coughing, and wheezing (a whistling or squeaking noise when breathing). Some people also have tightness in the chest as a symptom of COPD.
Q: How did I get COPD?
A: COPD occurs when your lungs become damaged. It is not a normal part of aging. It is believed that 80% to 90% of COPD cases are caused by tobacco smoke. Other causes of COPD are exposure to chemicals or pollution and a rare genetic disorder called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.
Q: What is the difference between COPD and asthma?
A: COPD and asthma are different diseases. To learn more about the differences, click here.
Q: Is there a cure for COPD?
A: There is no cure for COPD, but modifying your lifestyle and taking the proper medications can help you manage your COPD. Medicines such as SPIRIVA HandiHaler can help to open your airways so you can breathe easier.
Q: What should I discuss with my doctor to help me manage my COPD?
A: Speak to your doctor about such things as:
- Your symptoms
- Medicines you are taking
- Lifestyle habits (eg, exercise and smoking)
- Getting a lung function test (also known as spirometry)
- Your family history
Also, be sure to tell your doctor about any other medical conditions you may have. For more tips, click here.
Q: What is SPIRIVA?
A: SPIRIVA HandiHaler is a once-a-day regular (maintenance) treatment for bronchospasm (airway narrowing) associated with a breathing problem called Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. SPIRIVA helps open your airways for a full 24 hours to help you breathe easier all day, every day. It is not a rescue medicine and should not be used to quickly catch your breath when symptoms suddenly get worse.
SPIRIVA is a powder in a capsule. You inhale SPIRIVA using the HandiHaler device. Do not swallow SPIRIVA capsules.
Q: How many times per day should I take SPIRIVA?
A: SPIRIVA should be taken once a day, as directed by your doctor.
Q: How does SPIRIVA work?
A: SPIRIVA may make it easier to breathe by helping to relax the muscles in the airways inside your lungs. SPIRIVA helps to open narrow airways and helps keep them open for 24 hours. This allows more air to move in and out of your lungs.
Q: What makes SPIRIVA different?
A: SPIRIVA is the only inhaled COPD medicine that you take just once a day. SPIRIVA helps to open your airways and helps keep them open for 24 hours.
Q: Why should I take SPIRIVA?
A: SPIRIVA may help manage COPD by helping to open your airways so you can breathe easier. By taking SPIRIVA once daily, you should be able to breathe easier for a full 24 hours.
Q: When will I start to feel a difference in my breathing?
A: SPIRIVA HandiHaler starts working from the first day you take it to help improve airflow in and out of your lungs. The time it takes to feel better is different for everyone. You may start to feel the benefits of SPIRIVA after the first dose, but it may take up to several weeks to feel the full effects. The people around you may see a change before you do.
Even if you don't feel better right away, it's important to keep taking SPIRIVA as directed. You should take SPIRIVA even on days when you feel that you are breathing better.
Q: How long will I have to take SPIRIVA?
A: To get the full benefits of SPIRIVA, you should take it every day as directed by your doctor. COPD is a chronic disease. That means it never goes away and generally gets worse over time. Quitting smoking is the only way to slow the progression of the disease, but medicines such as SPIRIVA can help you breathe better.
Taking SPIRIVA every day can help manage COPD over the long term. Some patients think that once they are breathing better they can stop taking SPIRIVA. You should continue to take SPIRIVA every day, even when you are breathing better, to help you keep breathing better.
Q: Will I feel a difference right after taking SPIRIVA?
A: SPIRIVA is not a rescue medicine and should not be used to quickly catch your breath when symptoms suddenly get worse. SPIRIVA works gradually to help you breathe better for a full 24 hours. SPIRIVA starts working after the first dose, but it may take several weeks to feel the full effects.
After taking SPIRIVA for a while you may feel that you are breathing easier. You may wonder if you need to continue taking it. You must take SPIRIVA every day as directed by your doctor. Take it even on days when you are breathing better, to help you keep breathing easier all day, every day.
Q: How do I take SPIRIVA HandiHaler?
A: SPIRIVA is a dry powder in a capsule. The dry powder in the capsule is inhaled from the HandiHaler inhalation device. DO NOT SWALLOW SPIRIVA CAPSULES. SPIRIVA will not work if you swallow the capsules. The HandiHaler is specially designed for use with SPIRIVA capsules, and must not be used with any other medication. For detailed instructions on how to take SPIRIVA, see the Patient's Instructions for Use.
Q: What do I do if the capsule does not vibrate when I inhale SPIRIVA using the HandiHaler?
A: You should hear or feel the capsule vibrate when you inhale SPIRIVA using the HandiHaler. This is how you know you are getting the medicine into your lungs. If you do not hear or feel the capsule vibrate, tap the HandiHaler gently on a table, holding it in an upright position. Check to make sure the mouthpiece is completely closed. Then breathe in again — slowly and deeply. If you still do not hear or feel the capsule vibrate, please consult your physician.
Q: The SPIRIVA capsules are only partially full. Is this normal?
A: Yes. SPIRIVA capsules contain only a small amount of powder, which makes the capsule appear almost empty. This is normal. After taking SPIRIVA, you may notice a small dusting of this powder is left in the capsule. This is also normal.
Q: What is the HandiHaler and how do I use it?
A: The HandiHaler is an inhalation device that has been specially designed for use with SPIRIVA capsules. It must not be used with any other medication. Taking your dose of SPIRIVA requires four main steps: open, insert, press, inhale. SPIRIVA is for oral inhalation only. DO NOT SWALLOW SPIRIVA CAPSULES. For detailed instructions on how to take SPIRIVA, see the Patient's Instructions for Use.
Q: Where should I store SPIRIVA capsules and the HandiHaler device?
A: Store capsules in the sealed blister package at room temperature, 59-86°F [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. The capsules should not be exposed to extreme temperature or moisture, such as the bathroom or the kitchen. Capsules should always be stored in the sealed blisters and only removed immediately before use. Do not store capsules in the HandiHaler. As with all prescription medications, keep this out of the reach of children.
Q: Why do I need a new HandiHaler device every time I refill my prescription?
A: Each prescription refill of SPIRIVA is packaged with a new HandiHaler device for your convenience.
Q: Who should not take SPIRIVA?
A: Do not use SPIRIVA HandiHaler if you:
- Had an allergic reaction to atropine or any drugs like it, such as ipratropium (ATROVENT Inhalation Aerosol). Some allergic reactions include wheezing, hives, and swelling of the throat, face, or eyes
- Are allergic to tiotropium bromide (the active ingredient) or lactose. This is not the same as lactose intolerance. Talk to your doctor about the differences
Q: Can I take SPIRIVA along with other medicines?
A: Always make sure your doctor knows all the medicines that you are taking, including over-the-counter remedies. Only your doctor can say for sure whether you can use SPIRIVA while taking another medicine.
Many people with COPD take more than 1 type of medicine to treat it. In clinical trials, SPIRIVA was studied with other commonly used COPD therapies. These include certain short-acting "rescue" inhalers, long- and short-acting beta agonists, theophylline, and oral and inhaled steroids. SPIRIVA has not been studied with either ATROVENT Inhalation Aerosol or COMBIVENT Inhalation Aerosol, and, therefore, it is not recommended to use SPIRIVA with these medications. Check with your doctor to see if SPIRIVA is right for you.
Q: What are the possible side effects of SPIRIVA?
A: The safety record of SPIRIVA has been established in large clinical studies and with thousands of people taking SPIRIVA worldwide. In clinical trials, the most common side effect with SPIRIVA was dry mouth, reported by less than 2 out of 10 patients. It was usually mild and went away with continued treatment. Very few patients stopped taking SPIRIVA because of dry mouth. Some side effects seen with ipratropium-containing drugs (such as ATROVENT Inhalation Aerosol and COMBIVENT Inhalation Aerosol) were also seen with SPIRIVA. These include constipation, increased heart rate, blurry vision, glaucoma, and trouble passing urine. For a complete list of reported side effects, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
