Medicine for Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath is treated according to the cause of the reaction. Your doctor will assist you in making the proper choice for medicating this condition. Lung cancer, asthma, flu, or other psychological stress can trigger this reaction of difficulty breathing.

Oxygen Therapy

• Patients with severe COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, can extend life and increase the quality of life with oxygen therapy. This medicine restores the level of oxygen in the blood to normal.

Lung Cancer

• Persistent breathing problems should be tested by an oncologist. The medical treatment of lung cancer extends to chemotherapy and surgery.

Asthma

• Medications for shortness of breath due to asthma include inhalers such as Albuteral, or steroids.

Anxiety

• Prescribed medications alleviate the shortness of breath that can sometimes accompany a panic attack. Some anti-anxiety medications are habit forming. These should be carefully monitored by your physician.

Pneumonia

• Pneumonia is caused by a bacterial lung infection, which could lead to shortness of breath. Medicines that fight pneumonia are antibiotic. Broncho-dilators are also useful to widen the bronchial tubes.