ABSTRACT

COPD has become an important health issue. Actual statistics label it as the 4^th cause of death and the 12^th cause of incapacity world-wide. In Latin-American countries prevalence of COPD oscillates between 7.8% in Mexico and up to 19.7% in Montevideo. It is estimated that for year 2020, COPD will become the 3^rd cause of death world-wide, and between the first 10 causes of incapacity. From the therapeutic point of view, the evolution of the disease is favorably modified only by two measures. The first, quit smoking, impacts in the evolution by diminishing or stopping the deterioration of the pulmonary function, which moreover modifies the symptoms, life quality, and prognosis. The other one, a continuous long-term use of oxygen in COPD patients who develop a significant hypoxemia (PaO₂ ‹ 55 or PaO₂ ‹ 59 with polycythemia or pulmonary hypertension), showed to prolong their overlife, as well as the capacity to exercise. The rest of the therapeutic interventions traditionally used (short-action bronchodilators) have only demonstrated that patients feel better. This revision is meant to evaluate the effect of the actual pharmacological therapy, bronchodilators, mainly long-action, and corticosteroids, over dyspnea and life quality in patients with COPD. It is evaluated the improvement of life quality and its impact over exacerbations, which have demonstrated to have a deleterious effect over the evolution of COPD.

KEYWORDS

Bronchodilators, COPD, corticosteroids, dyspnea, quality of life.

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