COPD: still an unpredictable journey

COPD is the fourth leading cause of death and affects nearly 400 million worldwide, causing much disability as well as early mortality [1]. Management should be tailored to each patient to improve outcomes, for instance by stratifying patients according to the risk of acute exacerbations of COPD, in order to prescribe treatments including inhaled corticosteroids or phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors earlier. Treatment is particularly important before the patient's first acute exacerbation, as each subsequent exacerbation damages the lungs and treatment is less effective thereafter [2–4].
Source: European Respiratory Journal - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Editorials Source Type: research