← Return to Taking N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for COPD: Does it help?

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@erikas

@otter2154 Below I have linked a Mayo Clinic page related to Acetylcysteine.

Mayo Clinic
- Acetylcysteine (Inhalation Route) https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/acetylcysteine-inhalation-route/description/drg-20061456
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/acetylcysteine-oral-route/precautions/drg-20311314
- https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(19)30396-9/abstract

I'm tagging members @silverkat @merpreb @gabrielm @mrbill @waterboy @windwalker @fighter @sistertwo @nla4625 because they have been recently active members of Lung Health and may have information on this topic.

May I ask if you know if insurance covers this medication?

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Replies to "@otter2154 Below I have linked a Mayo Clinic page related to Acetylcysteine. Mayo Clinic - Acetylcysteine..."

I’m not sure. I have good insurance (after the deductible), so probably yes. Mostly, I was wondering about the NAC supplements (pills) you get at the store (or from Amazon).

My pulmonologist at Mayo, Rochester, replied to my question about this treatment..... DR ALEXANDER NIVEN "The honest answer regarding NAC is that I am indifferent regarding its role in COPD. There are some COPD patients who swear by it, and in those patients I don't actively discontinue it, but I rarely if ever initiate it on my own. We have been studying NAC for 30 years, and there is still not a convincing signal of benefit despite multiple trials, many with conflicting results. I mostly think of this medication when there is a structural airway abnormality (like a mass blocking most of an airway) or rarely in the setting of terribly tenaceous secretions."