title: [Acute exacerbation in COPD and asthma].
abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are airway diseases with acute exacerbations. Natural course of both disease are affected by exacerbations. COPD exacerbations may be caused by infections and other causes; indoor and outdoor pollution, cardiovascular diseases, asthma-COPD overlap syndrome, COPD- obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, pulmonary embolism, gastro-oesophageal reflux, anxiety-depression, pulmonary hypertension. Exposure to triggering factors, viral infections, treatment insufficiency may cause asthma exacerbations. Smoking cessations, prevention of infections, long-acting anticholinergics, long-acting 2 agonists, inhaled corticosteroids, phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, mucolytics, prophilactic antibiotics can be effective on the prevention of COPD exacerbations. Asthma exacerbations may be decreased by the avoidance of allergens, viral infections, occupational exposures, airpollution, treatment of comorbid diseases. Effective treatment of asthma is required to prevent asthma exacerbations. Inhaled steroids and combined treatments are the most effective preventive therapy for exacerbations. Patient education and cooperation is an element of the preventive measures for asthma attacks. Compliance to therapy, inhalation techniques, written asthma plans are required. The essential of COPD and asthma exacerbation treatment is bronchodilator therapy. Steroids are also implemented to the therapy, targeting the inflammation. Specific treatments of the cause (infection, airpollution, pulmonary embolism etc.) should be administered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Cerrahpasa Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. nurhayatyil@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Nurhayat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yıldırım
authors.forename: Tunçalp
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Bilun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gemicioğlu
authors.forename: Esen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kıyan
authors.forename: Kıvılcım
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oğuzülgen
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polatlı
authors.forename: Sevgi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saryal
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sayıner
authors.forename: Arzu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yorgancıoğlu
authors.forename: Sevim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bavbek
authors.forename: Gülfem E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Çelik
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Günen
authors.forename: Dilşad
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mungan
authors.forename: Elif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Şen
authors.forename: Haluk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Türktaş
authors.forename: Füsun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yıldız
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D005100:Expectorants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D005100:Expectorants