title: The role of long-acting bronchodilators in the management of stable COPD.
abstract: Bronchodilators form the foundation of symptomatic treatment of COPD. Several long-acting bronchodilators are now available for use in COPD, but publications of large-scale studies of their efficacy have, for the most part, postdated the publication of major clinical guidelines. This article provides a critical review of large (> or =50 patients), double-blind, clinical trials of three long-acting bronchodilators in COPD (the once-daily anticholinergic tiotropium, and the twice-daily beta(2)-agonists formoterol and salmeterol) within the context of the objectives of treatment defined by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines. Fourteen published studies were identified, of which 12 studies were published since the release of the GOLD guidelines. All three long-acting bronchodilators were found to effectively improve lung function; however, they differed in their effects on outcomes other than bronchodilation, with salmeterol demonstrating inconsistent efficacy compared with placebo in preventing exacerbations and improving health status, and only tiotropium demonstrating consistent superiority to the short-acting bronchodilator ipratropium. Based on this review, a treatment algorithm for the introduction of long-acting bronchodilators to patients with COPD is proposed, which includes the use of long-acting bronchodilators early in the treatment algorithm.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and the UCLA Pulmonary Function and Exercise Physiology Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1690, USA. DTashkin@mednet.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Donald P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Tashkin
authors.forename: Christopher B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000420:Albuterol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D012602:Scopolamine Derivatives / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069447:Tiotropium Bromide; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D004983:Ethanolamines; D012602:Scopolamine Derivatives; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D000420:Albuterol; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D000069447:Tiotropium Bromide