[Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease--acute bacterial exacerbations].

COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) belongs to leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide and results in substantial and everincreasing medical, social and economic burden. The same applies to the Czech Republic as well. To combat the disease the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) has been founded in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). GOLD guideline was published in April 2001 and its Czech version appeared in November 2001. The prevention and management of acute exacerbations of COPD forms one of the basic chapters of the document. A COPD exacerbation is defined as sustained worsening of the patient's condition compared to the stable state and beyond normal day-to-day variations that is acute in onset and may warrant additional treatment in a patient with known COPD. COPD exacerbations can be triggered by both an acute infection (viral or bacterial) and noninfectious cause (air pollution events, cold weather, interruption of regular treatment). Accurate diagnosis and assessment of the severity of COPD exacrbation, adequate therapy including rational application of antibiotics, accurate indication for hospitalization and timely admission to an intensive care unit decrease the COPD -associated mortality.