Interní Med. 2007; 9(10): 424-428

Severe stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

prof. MUDr. Vladimír Vondra DrSc^1,2

¹ Plicní oddělení zdravotnického zařízení Praha 5, Smíchov

² Pneumologické a alergologické oddělení, Praha

Severe COPD consists of stage III. (severe) and stage IV. (very severe). Contemporary exact diagnosis of COPD severity is based on post-bronchodilator verified value of spirometric obstruction. Severe COPD stages are accompanied by the highest mortality, invalidity, hospitalization rate and decrease of health related quality of life. Severe stages of COPD are 10 percent of total COPD prevalence, but these 10 percent present the majority of direct COPD economic burden. The treatment of severe COPD is currently very expensive for the necessity of regular and long-term pharmacotherapy with inhaled long-acting bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids and their combinations. Modern therapy must be based on three parts of therapy during all stages of COPD, especially in the severe ones – III. and IV. – prevention, pharmacotherapy and pulmonary rehabilitation.

Keywords: severe stages of COPD, III. and IV. stage, burden, diagnosis, therapy

Published: January 1, 2008  Show citation