Confronting the Challenge of COPD: What Is New in the Approaches to Diagnosis, Treatment, and Patient Outcomes.
Academic Article
Overview
abstract
As seen in this CME online activity (available at http://courses.elseviercme.com/730), COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States among people 65 years of age and older and the fourth leading cause of death among people 45 to 65 years of age. A recent survey reported that about 12 to 15 million people in the United States have physician-diagnosed COPD. However, COPD is significantly underdiagnosed, and data suggest as many as 12 million people in the United States have undiagnosed COPD. In addition to being underdiagnosed, COPD is significantly undertreated, with numerous literature sources indicating that patients with COPD are not receiving guideline concordant pharmacotherapy. Consistent with these sources, an analysis of claims data for > 50,000 patients with COPD indicated a high degree of undertreatment in these patients. For patients using an inhaler, adherence to inhaler medications and correct inhaler device technique are crucial to successful COPD management. However, the literature indicates > 50% of patients with COPD demonstrate poor medication adherence and rates of incorrect inhalation technique range from 35% to 85%. Studies have shown that regular training by a physician improved inhaler techniques among patients with COPD. Further, studies have shown that repeated instruction on inhalation techniques improved both adherence and quality of life outcomes. This CME-certified webcast provides insights into new approaches to identifying patients with undiagnosed COPD, the importance of early initiation of pharmacologic treatment in a guideline-congruent manner, and the importance of repeated patient training in correct inhaler techniques to improve adherence and patient outcomes. Additionally, the online program is part of a larger learning platform (available at https://copd.elsevierresource.com/) that provides free access to the latest clinical information related to the diagnosis and management of COPD. The COPD Learning Center is a freely accessible platform that aims to increase clinical knowledge by providing CME activities, research articles, and resources for health-care providers who treat patients with COPD.
