UPLIFT Study: the effects of long-term therapy with inhaled tiotropium in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), inhaled tiotropium bromide, a long-acting anticholinergic, has been shown to exert a sustained bronchodilator effect and to be superior to ipratropium bromide, a short-acting formulation of the same pharmacological class. Objective: To discuss the effects of long-term therapy with tiotropium in COPD. Methods/results: Analysis of efficacy and safety data on tiotropium from a 4-year randomized placebo controlled study performed in moderate to very severe COPD patients. Tiotropium was found to reduce significantly COPD-related morbidity, to improve health-related quality of life (HRQoL) irrespective of disease severity and to slow significantly lung function decline in patients not using inhaled corticosteroids or other long-acting bronchodilators. The safety profile - and in particular cardiovascular safety - of tiotropium was good. Conclusions: Tiotropium bromide, alone or in combination with other inhaled therapies, can maintain an adequate control of COPD on a long-term basis.