[End therapeutic nihilism towards COPD].
Prevention of COPD requires appropriate patient education, especially of adolescents, as well as the establishment of an effective national health policy. The new GOLD guidelines represent the current standard of knowledge on the management of chronic, progressive, obstructive pulmonary diseases. It points out that COPD is avoidable and treatable,and hence, there is no reason for therapeutic nihilism. Chronic bronchitis preceding a progressive respiratory obstruction cannot be improved with the presently available respiratory therapeutics. For this reason, therapeutic measures concentrate on the avoidance of exacerbations, which are primarily responsible for the severity of the course of COPD.
Juergens
Uwe R
UR
Schwepunkts Pneumologie/ Allergologie/Schlaf-medizin, Med. Poliklinik, Universitätsklinikum Bonn. juergens_uwe@t-online.de
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D029481:Bronchitis, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018450:Disease Progression; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D012138:Respiratory Therapy