How can we define well-controlled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

The main objectives in the management of chronic disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are: to suppress or minimize symptoms; to prevent and reduce exacerbations; to avoid limitations in activities of daily living, and thus to enable the patient to lead a normal, or nearly normal, life. COPD has become a serious public-health concern. The disease, which may be life-threatening if not properly managed, often goes undiagnosed. COPD accounts for significant healthcare, social and personal costs, as it can cause disability and lead to marked impairment in patients' quality of life. The primary goal in the management of COPD should be to maintain patients' clinical stability so as to lessen the impact of the disease. This implies achieving an adequate patient control with as few limitations of everyday activities as possible. In an attempt to optimize their quality of life, patients should be symptom-free or virtually symptom-free. In addition, exacerbations, which involve a high consumption of both healthcare and personal resources, must be prevented. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death among men in Europe. As its prevalence is expected to increase, it might become the third cause of mortality by 2030. In Spain, COPD management has recently been reviewed in the Spanish COPD Guidelines (GesEPOC). The COPD National Health System Strategy, developed by the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality under the Quality Plan, aims at implementing a set of measures to improve both the efficacy and the quality of healthcare services for patients with COPD.