[Mode of action of bronchodilators in COPD. Aims of their use and criteria of assessment].
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains under-diagnosed and under-treated despite its growing impact on public health. However several treatments, either pharmacological or not (pulmonary rehabilitation with exercise training), can improve quality of life significantly, even if they can not modify the natural history of the disease, as reflected by the decline in FEV1, which smoking cessation is the only way to alter. THE ACTION OF BRONCHODILATORS: Bronchodilators represent the first-line pharmacological treatment. Their clinical efficacy cannot be predicted by the inconstant changes in FEV1, since their main mechanism of action is the reduction in lung hyperinflation. Besides decreasing dyspnea, they reduce the number of exacerbations and improve quality of life.
Roche
Nicolas
N
Service de pneumologie, Hôpital de l'Hôtel-Dieu 1, place du Parvis de Notre-Dame 75004 Paris. roche_nicolas@hotmail.com
D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D016540:Smoking Cessation
D001993:Bronchodilator Agents