[Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a complex disease triggered mostly by exposure to cigarette smoke, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, leading not only to pulmonary damage but also to systemic impairment. There is growing awareness of systemic inflammation and cardiovascular, neurologic, psychiatric, and endocrine comorbidities associated with COPD. The diagnosis of CODP is based upon the clinical presentation, measurement of the pulmonary function, investigation of comorbidities and exclusion of differential diagnoses. COPD is a heterogeneous disease including various phenotypes. A number of drugs reduce or alleviate symptoms, increase exercise capacity, or reduce the number and severity of exacerbations. Non-pharmacologic measures such as smoking cessation, nutritional support, long term oxygen therapy, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, lung volume reduction and lung transplantation may be available for appropriate patients and can improve health status.