Exacerbations of COPD are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in this chronic lung disease. Many exacerbations are caused by bacterial or viral infections, but the cause of about 30% of exacerbations cannot be identified. Clinical symptoms (increased dyspnea, cough, and sputum) are due to increased inflammation of the central and peripheral airways, resulting in increased mucus production and bronchoconstriction. Home management consists of an intensive bronchodilator therapy (beta-agonists and anticholinergics), oral glucocorticosteroids and possibly antibiotics, depending on the clinical situation. Hospitalisation has to be considered if initial medical management fails, if there are significant co-morbidities or complications, or if the underlying COPD is severe. Several possibilities to prevent recurrence of COPD exacerbations are discussed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.