Spanish COPD Guidelines (GesEPOC): pharmacological treatment of stable COPD. Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery

Arch Bronconeumol. 2012 Jul;48(7):247-57. doi: 10.1016/j.arbres.2012.04.001. Epub 2012 May 3.
[Article in English, Spanish]

Abstract

Recognizing the clinical heterogeneity of COPD suggests a specific therapeutic approach directed by the so-called clinical phenotypes of the disease. The Spanish COPD Guidelines (GesEPOC) is an initiative of SEPAR, which, together with the scientific societies involved in COPD patient care, and the Spanish Patient Forum, has developed these new clinical practice guidelines. This present article describes the severity classification and the pharmacological treatment of stable COPD. GesEPOC identifies four clinical phenotypes with differential treatment: non-exacerbator, mixed COPD-asthma, exacerbator with emphysema and exacerbator with chronic bronchitis. Pharmacological treatment of COPD is based on bronchodilation in addition to other drugs depending on the clinical phenotype and severity. Severity is established by the BODE/BODEx multidimensional scales. Severity can also be approximated by assessing airflow obstruction, dyspnea, level of physical activity and history of exacerbations. GesEPOC is a new, more individualized approach to COPD treatment according to the clinical characteristics of the patients.

Publication types

  • Practice Guideline

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / administration & dosage
  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use
  • Aminopyridines / administration & dosage
  • Aminopyridines / therapeutic use
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Asthma / drug therapy
  • Asthma / epidemiology
  • Benzamides / administration & dosage
  • Benzamides / therapeutic use
  • Bronchitis / drug therapy
  • Bronchitis / epidemiology
  • Bronchodilator Agents / administration & dosage
  • Bronchodilator Agents / therapeutic use
  • Chronic Disease
  • Comorbidity
  • Cyclopropanes / administration & dosage
  • Cyclopropanes / therapeutic use
  • Disease Progression
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Expectorants / administration & dosage
  • Expectorants / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Phenotype
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / classification
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / drug therapy*
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / epidemiology
  • Pulmonary Emphysema / drug therapy
  • Pulmonary Emphysema / epidemiology
  • Respiratory System Agents / administration & dosage
  • Respiratory System Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Spain
  • Theophylline / administration & dosage
  • Theophylline / therapeutic use
  • alpha 1-Antitrypsin / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones
  • Aminopyridines
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Benzamides
  • Bronchodilator Agents
  • Cyclopropanes
  • Expectorants
  • Respiratory System Agents
  • alpha 1-Antitrypsin
  • Roflumilast
  • Theophylline