The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7252 p783
7 June 2003

This article
Reprint
Photocopy

News summary

Conference summaries  24 May   31 May   7 June

Related websites
American Thoracic Society conference 2003 (more)
COPD links (more)

COPD prevalence underestimated

Many smokers are living with undetected chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a study conducted at the Aintree Chest Centre, Liverpool, indicates.

Fifty patients in hospital for non-respiratory problems were asked about respiratory symptoms and spirometry was performed. None of the subjects had a previous respiratory diagnosis or were taking medicines for respiratory illness but on examination, 18 were found to be "at risk" of COPD, four had mild COPD and 19 had moderate COPD. This study was presented at the American Thoracic Society conference in Seattle last month.

Discussing pharmacotherapy for COPD at a conference assembly, Dr Stephen Rennard, associate professor of medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Centre, Omaha, said that smoking cessation was important, but intervention should be aimed at a higher level: the subject of smoking cessation could be tackled when people present with a newly defined health problem — rather than waiting until a person is diagnosed with COPD.

"For example, if a 50-year old man sprains his ankle, he is reflecting on his mortality so it is a good opportunity to talk to him about smoking cessation," Dr Rennard said.

According to Professor Robert Stockley, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust, part of the challenge of COPD is to identify different exacerbation episodes so that new treatment strategies can be adopted. New treatment options could include antiproteases to prevent the proteolytic enzymes released causing lung damage, Professor Stockley said.

The Journal attended the American Thoracic Society's 99th international conference in Seattle, Washington, courtesy of GlaxoSmithKline