Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Are the times changing?

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most prevalent diseases and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Spain. Currently, COPD is considered a treatable disease with an inflammatory origin that is frequently associated with other diseases. The prevalence of comorbidity is clearly increased in patients with COPD, irrespective of other confounding variables such as smoking. Current treatments have been proven to slow the loss of lung function, decrease the number of exacerbations and improve health-related quality of life and survival. New advances regarding the classics and more recent phenotypes such as patients with frequent exacerbations or COPD with associated comorbidity should allow for more individualized treatment while advances in genetic research and inflammatory mechanisms of the disease will help us to increase our knowledge of the disease and the development of new treatments.