Abstract
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a treatable, preventable and clinically heterogeneous syndrome which manifests with various lung symptoms and is associated with various comorbidities. This article deals mainly with the pharmacological treatment of stable COPD according to the current recommendations of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) and the valid recommendations of the Czech Pneumological and Phthisiological Society.
Pharmacotherapy of COPD is primarily based on long-term inhaled bronchodilators (LABD). It is a group of long-term (or ultra-long-term) inhaled anticholinergics (LAMA or U-LAMA) and inhaled long-acting β2-agonists (LABA, or U-LABA).
The position of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) in treatment of stable COPD is currently unsure, it is recommended that corticosteroids be added to bronchodilation therapy for phenotypes of frequent exacerbations and COPD - asthma overlap phenotype (ACO). Successful treatment can be reached only by the elimination of inhalation risk factors.
The comprehensive treatment approach to COPD patients uses, in addition to pharmacological, a variety of non-pharmacological approaches including pulmonary rehabilitation. Terminal care including indications of home oxygen treatment, non-invasive ventilation and indication for lung transplantation needs to be addressed as well.
Non-pharmacological treatment is not described in detail in this article.