Pharmacotherapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Preview

A family history of chronic airflow obstruction and a history of smoking along with evidence of airflow limitation are the most important indicators of the course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In this article, Dr Petty outlines a pharmacologic strategy to improve and extend the lives of patients with all degrees of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He recommends a combination of smoking cessation, influenza virus vaccination, and pneumococcal vaccination once in a lifetime as the most effective measures to inhibit deterioration in ventilatory function. The systematic use of antimicrobials to ease exacerbations and the use of inhaled and oral bronchodilators to reverse airflow obstruction and corticosteroids to manage acute respiratory failure are effective in the majority of patients.