Current issues in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among smokers. Many guidelines that have recently been issued emphasize that COPD is not inaccessible to therapeutic measures: although few interventions are capable of affecting its natural history (i.e. smoking cessation and, in patients with severe resting hypoxaemia, oxygen therapy), several others have a demonstrated effect on symptoms and, thereby, quality of life. The effects of inhaled corticosteroids, and alpha 1-antitrypsin replacement therapy in emphysema due to alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency are currently being studied. When there is a marked increase in mucus production, chest physiotherapy using controlled expiration and directed cough may be useful. Inhaled bronchodilators are frequently effective on dyspnoea, anticholinergic agents being more suitable for continuous symptoms. Rehabilitation, which includes education and psychosocial care, chest physiotherapy, nutritional care and exercise training, also improves quality of life. When there is persistent severe alveolar hypoventilation despite oxygen therapy, long-term mechanical ventilation may be considered. Surgical options in the treatment of emphysema include resection of giant bullae and lung volume reduction surgery. Lung transplantation should be proposed only in patients with end-stage disease, the difficulty here being to define what 'end-stage' means. Finally, all preventive and some therapeutic interventions are likely to be more effective early in the course of the disease. Thus, efforts should be made to detect airways obstruction early in subjects at risk, such as smokers.