Abstract
A brief overview of phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors provides the historical development of this drug group and its wide use (vasodilators, erectile dysfunction, bronchodilatation, positive inotropic effects etc.). The readers become acquainted with the results of earlier studies in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), such as RECORDS, OPUS or RATIO, as well as with the results of two studies recently published in The Lancet (September 2009).
The first study, labelled M2-124 and 125, showed the benefits of roflumilast therapy in patients over 40 years of age, with the FEV/FVC ratio below 70% and postbronchodilator FEV of less than 50% when compared with placebo. The other study, M2-127,128, showed the benefits of adding roflumilast to salmeterol or tiotropium therapy of COPD patients.
Despite side effects (e.g. diarrhoea in 8% of patients treated with roflumilast vs. 3% of those in the placebo group), this group of drugs seems very promising for patients with COPD.