Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In the European Union, COPD and asthma, together with pneumonia, are the third most common cause of death. In North America, COPD is the fourth leading cause of death, and mortality rates and prevalence are increasing. The major characteristic of COPD is the presence of chronic airflow limitation that progresses slowly over a period of years and is, by definition, largely irreversible. Most patients with COPD are, or were, cigarette smokers. Prevention by reducing the prevalence of smoking remains a priority. Although much of the damage is irreversible at the time of clinical presentation, treatments are available to improve the quality of life, the life expectancy, and perhaps the functional ability of patients with COPD. Several national and international consensus statements on optimal assessment and management of asthma have been published in recent years. These consensus statements have led to international standardization of diagnosis and management and to better care. They also form a basis for clinical audits and suggest areas of future research. However, there have been few attempts to develop consensus guidelines on management of COPD [1, 2]. The European Respiratory Society (ERS) has taken the initiative of producing a consensus statement on COPD. A Task Force of scientists and clinicians was invited to provide this European consensus. The guidelines are intended for use by physicians involved in the care of patients with COPD, and their main goals are to inform health professionals and to reverse a widespread nihilistic approach to the management of these patients. This Task Force firmly believes that treatment can significantly improve the quality and length of life of patients suffering from this chronic, progressive condition. Subcommittees of the Task Force focused on the five main sections of this project: Pathology/Pathophysiology, Epidemiology, Assessment, Treatment, and Management. Experts produced papers within each section, and these papers were brought together by the subcommittee heads. At a plenary meeting held in Wiesbaden, Germany on November 11–13, 1993, all contributions were extensively discussed, and additional working group meetings were arranged. Flowcharts for management in common clinical situations were produced. However, at all stages, members of the Task Force found themselves confronted by unresolved questions and regional differences in management across Europe. A practical approach was adopted, combining established scientific evidence and a consensus view when current data were inadequate. This approach identified more clearly those areas where further research is needed. Comments on drafts of the consensus statement were invited from participants of the original meeting, which included colleagues from North America. The edited document was sent to independent experts for external review. All members had an opportunity to comment on the document at the ERS meeting in Nice on October 2, 1994. As chairmen of the Task Force, we hope that the final document will promote better management of COPD in Europe. We would like to thank all who contributed to it. On behalf of the ERS, we also gratefully acknowledge a generous educational grant from Boehringer Ingelheim and the organizational assistance provided by M.T. Lopez-Vidriero.

https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/erj/8/8/1398.full.pdf

Optimal assessment and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The European Respiratory Society Task Force

/pdf/oxidative-stress-in-chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-3qgsrkrh56.pdf

Oxidative stress in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major respiratory illness in Canada that is both preventable and treatable Our understanding of the pathophysiology of this complex condition continues to grow and our ability to offer effective treatment to those who suffer from it has improved considerably The purpose of the present educational initiative of the Canadian Thoracic Society (CTS) is to provide up to date information on new developments in the field so that patients with this condition will receive optimal care that is firmly based on scientific evidence Since the previous CTS management recommendations were published in 2003, a wealth of new scientific information has become available The implications of this new knowledge with respect to optimal clinical care have been carefully considered by the CTS Panel and the conclusions are presented in the current document Highlights of this update include new epidemiological information on mortality and prevalence of COPD, which charts its emergence as a major health problem for women; a new section on common comorbidities in COPD; an increased emphasis on the meaningful benefits of combined pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies; and a new discussion on the prevention of acute exacerbations A revised stratification system for severity of airway obstruction is proposed, together with other suggestions on how best to clinically evaluate individual patients with this complex disease The results of the largest randomized clinical trial ever undertaken in COPD have recently been published, enabling the Panel to make evidence-based recommendations on the role of modern pharmacotherapy The Panel hopes that these new practice guidelines, which reflect a rigorous analysis of the recent literature, will assist caregivers in the diagnosis and management of this common condition

/pdf/canadian-thoracic-society-recommendations-for-management-of-39yyckfb48.pdf

Canadian Thoracic Society recommendations for management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - 2007 update.

The primary aims of this paper are 1) to summarize and evaluate published data that address care of patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 2) to improve the ...

Management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a summary and appraisal of published evidence.

Management of acute exacerbations of COPD: a summary and appraisal of published evidence.

A Comparison of the Effects of Ipratropium Bromide and Metaproterenol Sulfate in Acute Exacerbations of COPD

P reviously we reported our finding that in acute exacerbations of asthma, @3-adrenergic agents are more effective bronchodilators than anticholinergic agents. â€˜?� In contrast, studies. of patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have suggested that anticholinergic bronchodilators may be as effective or more effective than @3-adrenergic agents.@â€To date, few studies have examined the effectiveness of these agents in acute exacerbations of COPD.'2'3 Furthermore, the specific effects of these agents on gas exchange during acute exacerbations of COPD have not been evaluated. We, therefore, used an anticholinergic agent, ipratropium bromide (Atro vent; Boerhinger Ingelheim, Ridgefield, Ct) and a @3-adrenergic agent, metaproterenol sulfate (Alupent;

Jeffrey Pesin

Papers

A Comparison of the Effects of Ipratropium Bromide and Metaproterenol Sulfate in Acute Exacerbations of COPD

A Comparison oftheEffectsof Ipratropium Bromide andMetaproterenol SulfateinAcuteExacerbations ofCOPD