[Maintenance treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

BACKGROUND

Treatment guidelines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) recommend that disease severity should be decisive for the choice of drug.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Medical records for patients with COPD were reviewed and an overview was made of the different drugs used for maintenance treatment. We examined the correspondence between drug classes used and guideline recommendations.

RESULTS

Glucocorticosteroids and long-acting bronchodilators are used more frequently for maintenance treatment than anticholinergic drugs and short-acting bronchodilators. The severity of COPD does not influence the prescription of glucocorticosteroides and long-acting bronchodilators.

INTERPRETATION

The physician's first choice of drug seems to continue as maintenance treatment. The results suggest that glucocorticosteroids are used more frequently than recommended by the COPD treatment guidelines.