COPD Stage I Medication Savings with TheDrugClub
Members can check active-formulary eligibility and membership pricing for COPD Stage I medications. A condition association alone does not establish coverage.
What Is COPD Stage I?
COPD Stage I is a medical condition that may require prescription treatment. Consult a healthcare professional about appropriate options.
Managing COPD Stage I with TheDrugClub
Eligible medications linked to the active formulary may have no additional cost under listed supply, quantity, fill, and fulfillment limits. Other prescriptions may qualify for membership pricing. Confirm current terms before filling.
- Join TheDrugClub as a member
- Receive your member card by email
- Present your card at a participating pharmacy
- Check active-formulary eligibility or available membership pricing
About COPD, the broader condition
This overview covers COPD in general, not COPD Stage I specifically.
What is COPD?
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a group of lung diseases that make it hard to breathe and get worse over time.
Normally, the airways and air sacs in your lungs are elastic or stretchy. When you breathe in, the airways bring air to the air sacs. The air sacs fill up with air, like a small balloon. When you breathe out, the air sacs deflate, and the air goes out. If you have COPD, less air flows in and out of your airways because of one or more problems:
The airways and air sacs in your lungs become less elastic
The walls between many of the air sacs are destroyed
The walls of the airways become thick and inflamed
The airways make more mucus than usual and can become clogged
What are the types of COPD?
COPD includes two main types:
Emphysema affects the air sacs in your lungs, as well as the walls between them. They become damaged and are less elastic.
Chronic bronchitis, in which the lining of your airways is constantly irritated and inflamed. This causes the lining to swell and make mucus.
Most people with COPD have both emphysema and chronic bronchitis, but how severe each type is can be different from person to person.
What causes COPD?
The cause of COPD is usually long-term exposure to irritants that damage your lungs and airways. In the United States, cigarette smoke is the main cause. Pipe, cigar, and other types of tobacco smoke can also cause COPD, especially if you inhale them.
Exposure to other inhaled irritants can contribute to COPD. These include secondhand smoke, air pollution, and chemical fumes or dusts from the environment or workplace.
Rarely, a genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency can play a role in causing COPD.
Who is more likely to develop COPD?
Certain factors make you more likely to develop COPD. These include:
Smoking. This is the main risk factor. Up to 75% of people who have COPD smoke or used to smoke.
Long-term exposure to other lung irritants, such as secondhand smoke, air pollution, and chemical fumes and dusts from the environment or workplace
Age. Most people who have COPD are at least 40 years old when their symptoms begin.
Genetics. This includes alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, which is a genetic condition. Also, smokers who get COPD are more likely to get it if they have a family history of COPD.
Asthma. People who have asthma have more risk of developing COPD than people who don't have asthma. But most people with asthma will not get COPD.
What are the symptoms of COPD?
At first, you may have no symptoms or only mild symptoms. As the disease gets worse, your symptoms usually become more severe. They can include:
Frequent coughing or a cough that produces a lot of mucus
Wheezing or a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe
Shortness of breath, especially with physical activity
Tightness in your chest
Fatigue
Some people with COPD get frequent respiratory infections such as colds and the flu. In severe cases, COPD can cause weight loss, weakness in your lower muscles, and swelling in your ankles, feet, and legs.
How is COPD diagnosed?
To find out if you have COPD, your health care provider may:
Ask about your medical history, which includes asking about your symptoms
Ask about your family history
Ask if you have ever smoked or been exposed to secondhand smoke and other lung irritants
Order various tests, such as lung function tests, a chest x-ray or CT scan
Order blood tests, which may include an arterial blood gas test or an alpha-1 antitrypsin test
The broader condition is COPD.
Related conditions
Participating pharmacy savings paths
Directory filing for COPD Stage I
In our directory, COPD Stage I is filed under Respiratory & Allergies.