Respiratory and systemic effects of current therapies for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
| Therapy | Respiratory effects | Systemic effects |
| Bronchodilators | Improve airflow obstruction | Improve quality of life |
| Decrease static and dynamic hyperinflation | May cause anxiety, tremors and dry mouth | |
| Decrease exacerbations | ||
| Increase exercise endurance | ||
| Decrease functional dyspnoea | ||
| ICS and LABA | Improve airflow obstruction | Improve quality of life |
| Decrease static and dynamic hyperinflation | May decrease inflammatory markers (CRP and TNF-α) | |
| Decrease CD8+ lymphocytes in airway biopsy | Increase risk of pneumonia | |
| Decrease exacerbations | ||
| Increase exercise endurance | ||
| Decrease functional dyspnoea | ||
| Lung volume reduction surgery | Improves airflow obstruction | Increases BMI |
| Decreases static and dynamic hyperinflation | Improves osteoporosis | |
| Improves gas exchange | Improves quality of life | |
| Decreases functional dyspnoea | Improves BODE scores | |
| Improves respiratory muscle function | May improve survival | |
| Increases exercise endurance | Risk of surgical complications and mortality | |
| Pulmonary rehabilitation | Delays dynamic hyperinflation | Improves BODE scores |
| Improves exercise endurance | May improve survival | |
| Decreases functional dyspnoea | ||
| Oxygen therapy | Prevents progression of pulmonary hypertension | Improves survival |
| Increases exercise endurance | ||
| Decreases exercise dyspnoea |
ICS: inhaled corticosteroids; LABA: long-acting β2-agonist; CRP: C-reactive protein; TNF-α: tumour necrosis factor-α; BMI: body mass index; BODE: body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnoea and exercise capacity.