Update on pharmacologic therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The judicious use of appropriate medications in a stepwise fashion is the recommended approach to treating patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and can improve airflows and provide significant symptomatic relief. Benefits, risks, and appropriate use of bronchodilators and multiple other pharmacologic interventions essential to the care of patients with COPD are addressed. Advances ranging from improved medication targeting to better delivery of medications to lower side effects are highlighted. Promising new areas of pharmacologic intervention are reviewed. Inadequacies of current medical practice relative to recommended treatment guidelines are noted, with a need for increased practitioner awareness of pharmacologic therapy for patients with COPD.