Advances in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among older adults

Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2011 Mar;17(2):84-9. doi: 10.1097/MCP.0b013e32834316ff.

Abstract

Purpose of review: This review summarizes recent research on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among older adults.

Recent findings: Recent research on COPD and older adults addresses four key areas: diagnosis and screening, comorbidities, end-of-life care, and management. These key findings include the Rotterdam study's identification of the incidence rate of COPD in older adults being 9.2 per 1000 person-years; a new assessment of FEV1 cut-points associated with increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms and risk of death; development and validation of new mortality scales, the ADO (age, dyspnea, and airflow obstruction) index and the PILE score; older adults with COPD average 9 comorbidities, of which depression, cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, and chronic renal failure are highly prevalent; nonrespiratory treatments such as proton pump inhibitors, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and statins show promise in the management of COPD; and strength may be a protective factor for older adults with COPD.

Summary: Findings suggest that more research on older adults and COPD suggest that aging is a determinant of the progression of disease and that management of this population requires different metrics and strategies.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Comorbidity
  • Depression / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / epidemiology
  • Incidence
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / epidemiology
  • Long-Term Care
  • Mass Screening
  • Prevalence
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / diagnosis
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / epidemiology
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / psychology
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / therapy
  • Recurrence
  • Risk Reduction Behavior
  • Spirometry
  • Terminal Care
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed