Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: How Can It Be Assessed and Managed?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious health problem characterized by constriction in the air passages that results from different etiologic factors. The problems of COPD include narrowing of the small air passages due to inflammation and destruction of the walls result from obstructive bronchiolitis as well as emphysema— this causes air entrapment leading to difficulty in breathing especially upon physical activity. It is a frequent source of morbidity in the world. The consequence of COPD may be mortality, disability and morbidity, in addition to causing high financial and social burnouts. To overcome the complications resulted from COPD, efficient methods of diagnosis and management should be established. The evaluation of COPD is performed by clinical examination, in addition to the indication provided by spirometry. Blood WBC number (especially eosinophil count) are crucial markers for the diagnosis, classifying, and complications of COPD. The classical of frequently used drugs in COPD include bronchodilators and corticosteroids. In this review, we highlight the main causes, diagnosis, pathophysiological aspects and treatment strategies for COPD.