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Review
. 2016 Jul 13:11:1579-86.
doi: 10.2147/COPD.S106160. eCollection 2016.

Acute exacerbation of COPD: is it the "stroke of the lungs"?

Georgios Hillas  1 , Fotis Perlikos  1 , Nikolaos Tzanakis  2
Affiliations
Review

Acute exacerbation of COPD: is it the "stroke of the lungs"?

Georgios Hillas et al. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. .

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the top five major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite worldwide health care efforts, costs, and medical research, COPD figures demonstrate a continuously increasing tendency in mortality. This is contrary to other top causes of death, such as neoplasm, accidents, and cardiovascular disease. A major factor affecting COPD-related mortality is the acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). Exacerbations and comorbidities contribute to the overall severity in individual patients. Despite the underestimation by the physicians and the patients themselves, AECOPD is a really devastating event during the course of the disease, similar to acute myocardial infarction in patients suffering from coronary heart disease. In this review, we focus on the evidence that supports the claim that AECOPD is the "stroke of the lungs". AECOPD can be viewed as: a Semicolon or disease's full-stop period, Triggering a catastrophic cascade, usually a Relapsing and Overwhelming event, acting as a Killer, needing Emergent treatment.

Keywords: COPD; acute exacerbation; stroke.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Fletcher–Peto diagram modified: lung function decline is not a constant, stable process. Notes: It is the accumulated result of mild losses during steady state and sharp losses, due to acute exacerbations that accelerate as exacerbations become more frequent and more severe over time, during the natural course of the disease. Abbreviations: AECOPD, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; HrQoL, health-related quality of life.
Figure 2
Figure 2
AECOPD is the “stroke of the lungs”. Abbreviation: AECOPD, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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