Therapeutic Interventions

The optimal therapy is to treat the cause. Often the cause is untreatable and in that situation the following have been tried

• Breathing techniques which may include pursed-lip or diaphragmatic breathing
• Exercise training: The goal is not to alter the lung disease (usually untreatable) but rather to maximize the individual's exercise tolerance
• Nutritional manipulations with reduced CO2 production
• Psychologic interventions
• Respiratory muscle training
• Sedative/Narcotic pharmacotherapy