title: Pharmacological approaches to stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes disabling, slowly progressive breathlessness on exertion, chronic cough and sputum production. Its natural history is punctuated by increasingly frequent exacerbations which in turn accelerate disease progression and reduce a patient's quality of life. COPD has previously been ignored in the mistaken belief that nothing could be done. There are now a number of therapies that can be used to reduce symptoms and prevent exacerbations. In turn this reduces disability, improves the patient's health-related quality of life and has the potential to reduce costs to the health service and to society.
authors.affiliation: The National Respiratory Training Centre, Warwick, UK.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Booker
mesh_terms: D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000145:classification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017281:Cost of Illness; D018450:Disease Progression; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005100:Expectorants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D018579:Patient Selection; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012115:Residual Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D005100:Expectorants