Abstract
Aim: Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim was to investigate the association between COPD exacerbations and severe acute cardiovascular (CV) events in COPD patients with a history of CVD.
Methods: Data from patients with COPD (≥40 years), with a hospital-based COPD clinic visit between 2010–2016 (index date) and a hospitalization for CV events (stroke, myocardial infarction) or heart failure (HF) 36 to 6 months prior to index, were linked with nationwide Danish health registries, and followed for COPD exacerbations, CV events and death. Moderate exacerbations were defined as collection of oral corticosteroids (OCS) or respiratory antibiotics; severe as hospitalizations or emergency visits. A logistic regression model was applied to estimate odds ratios (OR) with 95% CIs for CV events and death.
Results: Of 1501 included patients, 197 (13.1%, mean age 74.1 years, 33.5% female) experienced both COPD exacerbations and a CV event during the 6 month follow-up. More than half of these had a CV event within 30 days after the COPD exacerbation. The OR of having a non-fatal CV event after a moderate exacerbation was 1.5 (95% CI: 1.0-2.2) and 6.9 (95% CI: 4.8-10.0) after a severe exacerbation. The OR of a fatal CV event was 1.4 (95% CI: 0.6-3.5) and 3.9 (95% CI: 1.6-9.1) after a moderate and severe exacerbation, respectively.
Conclusion: Severe exacerbations were associated with increased odds of CV events, which in the majority of patients occurred within 30 days after an exacerbation. This highlights that prevention of exacerbations in patients with COPD and concomitant CVD will improve both respiratory and CV health.
Footnotes
Cite this article as Eur Respir J 2022; 60: Suppl. 66, 4337.
This article was presented at the 2022 ERS International Congress, in session “-”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
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