Breathe Easier, Live Stronger: How Managing COPD Protects Your Heart After 35

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure are two different conditions that share symptoms like shortness of breath and fatigue. These similarities can make diagnosis and management challenging for patients and sometimes providers.

COPD affects the lungs, but the strain it places on the body can impact the heart.

When breathing becomes difficult, the heart works harder to deliver oxygen, which may lead to other complications over time. This is why managing COPD well is an important part of protecting heart health.

At Corewell Health, the COPD program gives patients practical tools to manage symptoms at home and reduce emergency department (ED) visits. One of the most important components is the COPD action plan, a simple color‑coded guide created together by the patient and the care team, including pharmacists.

The action plan is structured to give patients clarity and confidence when symptoms change.

Patients also receive an exacerbation tool kit, which may include medications such as steroids or antibiotics to use at home under provider guidance. This evidence-based approach is widely recognized in pulmonary care and helps prevent avoidable hospitalizations.

Read how this approach makes a difference for COPD patients like Eileen “Pat” Vanover.

If you or a loved one has COPD, you don’t have to wait for symptoms to get worse before taking action. Ask your provider:

• “Can we build a COPD action plan tailored to my symptoms?”
• “What home therapies or rescue medications should I have available?”
• “Would a COPD exacerbation tool kit be appropriate for me?”
• “How can I tell when my breathing changes are due to COPD versus my heart?”
• “Is there a value clinic or coordinated care program that can support me in one location?”

If your current clinic doesn’t offer these features in one place — like pharmacists, or same-day access — ask whether they can help connect you to a program that does. Having a coordinated team behind you can make a meaningful difference in preventing flare-ups and protecting your heart.