Fixed Triple Therapy in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Survival. Living Better, Longer, or Both?

• Published in: American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine Vol. 201; no. 12; pp. 1463 - 1464
• Main Author: Vestbo, Jørgen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Thoracic Society 15.06.2020
• Subjects: Androstadienes; Benzyl Alcohols; Chlorobenzenes; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Comorbidity; Humans; Medical treatment; Mortality; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Quinuclidines; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory therapy; Risk factors
• ISSN: 1073-449X; 1535-4970
• DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202003-0622ED

Vestbo discusses the fixed triple therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and survival. A treatment that affects lung function, health status, and frequency of moderate and severe exacerbations, which can be achieved with long-acting bronchodilators in the majority of patients and with ICS in a proportion of these. To a COPD clinician it is clear that not all patients have marked benefits from the treatments, but to a vast number of patients, new long-acting inhaled drugs in simple combination inhalers have made a marked impact on their well-being and their ability to keep up with daily activities. Given that risk factors for mortality are known in multimorbidity in general and COPD in particular, it really does not surprise me that these patients live longer. The challenge is now the same as for all other areas where individualized management is "the thing".