2. Advances in pharmacotherapy for COPD.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most common chronic lung disease in the world. In 1999, COPD ranked sixth among the most common causes of death and twelfth as a worldwide burden of disease. It has been estimated that by the year 2020 COPD will be the third leading cause of death and fifth as a worldwide burden of disease. Thus, COPD is a major medical problem and there is evidence that it is increasing throughout the world. Despite recognition of COPD as an important international health problem, COPD has been neglected among common diseases, with little investment in research on its underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. Recently, global and Japanese guidelines for COPD have been published. These guidelines seem to be useful to improve the underdiagnosis and undertreatment of COPD. In this review, I describe briefly the current recommendation for pharmacological therapy of stable COPD according to the global and Japanese guidelines for COPD.
Ichinose
Masakazu
M
The Third Department of Internal Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, School of Medicine, Wakayama. masakazu@wakayama-med.ac.jp
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016540:Smoking Cessation
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents