ICC COLUMN: The Voice of the Patient


Selective polypharmacy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Lawrence Grouse

Abstract

We must admit that we don’t understand chronic obstructive pulmonary disease’s (COPD) pathogenic mechanism, nor do we know how to change the downhill course of the disease, except for smoking cessation and for certain patients who need oxygen. But that shouldn’t stop us from trying to improve COPD patients’ quality of life and reduce the number of COPD exacerbations they experience. However, the approach to accomplish this without causing pneumonia, possible cardiac complications, financial hardships, and other side effects of drug therapy is not entirely clear.

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