About this course

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common, preventable, treatable disease characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and chronic airflow limitation. Regionally, COPD affects ~6.2% of adults aged ≥40 years. In many countries, inhaler use is low versus oral medication, due to cost, cultural preference, or patients associating inhalers with more severe disease. In this module, inhaler use in COPD and current treatment recommendations will be discussed.

Learning outcomes

• Understand the role of combination inhalers in COPD management
• Distinguish the properties of different combination inhalers
• Evaluate the optimal course of inhaler therapy to manage patient symptoms

Topics covered

• Disease overview – epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment goals
• Inhalers in COPD – overview of inhaler therapy, types of devices, and drug classes available
• Current recommendations (GOLD 2021) – initial and follow-up treatment, types of combination devices, and management of exacerbations