COPD — You'll never walk alone

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) constitutes a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, affecting>10% of the adult population [1]. As a complex respiratory disorder, its course is frequently complicated by its systemic manifestations. Among these, coronary artery disease, heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases show major affliction [2,3]. Exacerbations of COPD sustainably influence the disease's natural history. Apart from accelerating the rate of lung function decline, periexacerbational inflammation is not restricted to the airways, but constitutes a systemic inflammatory process that predisposes to cardiovascular events like myocardial infarction.
Source: International Journal of Cardiology - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research