Breaking the cycle: How exacerbations compound — and what patients can do

There is good data showing that having one exacerbation predicts future exacerbations, Sala said, increasing a patient's risk going forward. People who exacerbate tend to exacerbate more frequently over time, creating what he called a negative feedback loop — and a major reason clinicians focus so heavily on slowing that trajectory early.

Sala noted that infections are among the most common exacerbation triggers. As a result, many patients spend real time on infection control: wearing masks in public settings such as airports, staying current on vaccinations, performing airway clearance consistently, taking medications as prescribed, and avoiding contact with people who have upper respiratory infections.