[A targeted search for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: brief summary]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause mortality and morbidity globally, with permanently growing prevalence. Expressive underdiagnosis and undertreatment is a general features across all European countries. Individuals with undiagnosed, symptomatic COPD had significantly increased risk of exacerbations, pneumonia, and death. Early smoking cessation is able to reduce the mortality and morbidity burden of newly diagnosed COPD individuals. These findings suggest that better initiatives for early diagnosis and early treatment of COPD are needed. A clear diagnosis of COPD requires post-bronchodilator spirometry in symptomatic mid-elderly (more than 40) aged subjects with long-lasting inhalation exposure to known risk factors.Key words: COPD - morbidity - mortality - screening - spirometry - underdiagnosis.