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Diagnosis, Treatment, and Monitoring of COPD and Breathing Problems

Shortness of breath and other breathing problems caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)—which includes chronic bronchitis, and emphysema —require daily management.

Custom Treatment Plans

At Apria, we tailor your respiratory treatment to match your medical and lifestyle needs and provide you with superb support—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We deliver the highest quality care through every stage of your condition: from diagnosis to treatment to monitoring.

It's why Apria is a leader in home medical equipment for the treatment of COPD.

We Work Closely With Your Physician’s Office Care Team To Help Manage Your COPD Through Its Many Stages

Understanding risk factors and conducting proper testing are the first steps to diagnosing and treating COPD. We can assess Nocturnal oxygen and CO2 levels to assess both oxygenation and Ventilation for your doctor. After assessment from an MD and proper testing we can assist with finding the right therapy to treat each patient.

Our clinicians work closely with your physician to monitor your disease process and assess when changes may need to be made to current therapies to improve your quality of life. COPD treatment isn’t a one size fits all treatment, and we work to tailor your treatment to your specific needs and disease process.

A Wide Range of Treatment Options

Nebulizer Therapy

A nebulizer converts liquid medicine into a fine mist. Using either a mouthpiece or mask, you can more easily inhale your medicine into your lungs to help effectively treat your respiratory condition.

Nebulizers come in tabletop and portable models. Sometimes, nebulizers are more effective than inhalers.

Benefits of nebulizer therapy:

  • Works fast and effectively
  • Easy to use, with fewer side effects
  • Improves long-term health when used regularly
  • Helps you remain active

Apria offers a choice of quality nebulizer products and accessories, such as tubing, masks, and filters. So you can be sure that you receive the best treatment appropriate to your healthcare needs.

The Advantages of Nebulizers vs. Inhalers

Nebulizers are a good choice for people who don’t benefit from dry powder inhalers or metered dose inhalers.1 Nebulizers deliver doses over 60 to 90 breaths rather than in just one or two inhalations with an inhaler. This means a single ineffective breath with a nebulizer won’t decrease the effectiveness of the treatment.2

Nebulizers are also especially good for delivering medication to infants or small children.

Oxygen Therapy

Oxygen is vital to life. If you or a loved one has a respiratory condition, you may need additional oxygen to help you breathe more easily.

Oxygen is usually delivered through nasal prongs or with a face mask. Oxygen equipment can attach to other devices, such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines and ventilators.

Benefits of oxygen therapy:

  • Prolongs life
  • Improves sleep, mood, and mental alertness
  • Allows you to perform everyday functions, improving quality of life
  • Decreases breathlessness
  • Increases exercise capacity

For people needing supplemental oxygen, Apria offers numerous quality home oxygen therapy devices and accessories. We will work with you and your doctor to choose the equipment that works best for you.

Apria also offers one of the most robust long-term oxygen therapy programs available, including a travel and relocation program:

  • Travel program covering all 50 states
  • Oxygen system delivery for travel-in select locations
  • Oxygen system delivery and pick-up at destination-in select locations
  • 24/7 on-call clinical support

More home respiratory devices

In addition to nebulizer and oxygen therapy products and accessories, Apria offers many other home medical devices to help effectively treat your respiratory condition:

  • Home ventilators
  • Heated humidifiers
  • Medical-grade air compressors
  • Pulse oximeters
  • Suction devices

The Medications You Need, When You Need Them

The Apria Pharmacy Network ensures convenient, complimentary overnight delivery of your medications to help effectively manage your COPD. We also offer patient refill reminders along with 24/7 pharmacy support.

Our respiratory medications include:

  • Ascetylcysteine
  • Albuterol/Ipratropium
  • Brovana®
  • Budesonide
  • Ipratropium
  • Perforomist®
  • Tobramycin
  • Yupelri®

Ongoing Monitoring to Optimize Your Treatment

Through routine monitoring, Apria can help determine if you are responding to your prescribed therapy so that adjustments can be made. Our goal is to work with you to optimize care. And we assess you in your own home for your convenience.

To help ensure you receive optimal treatment, we continue to provide one-on-one respiratory education from a licensed respiratory therapist. No other COPD care program offers so much, so be sure to ask your doctor specifically for Apria as your COPD care provider.

1. American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society Statement: Standards for the diagnosis and management of individuals with AAT deficiency. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2003;168(7):818-900.

2. Rau JL. Respiratory Care Pharmacology: Administration of Aerosolized Agents. 6th ed. Mosby; 2002.