Triple Therapy for COPD Patients

Inhaled steroids should be reserved for patients whose chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is uncontrolled on dual bronchodilators.

Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines recommend stepwise therapy for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), starting with a long-acting antimuscarinic (LAMA) or long-acting β-agonist (LABA), then a combination of the two, and, finally, triple therapy with an added inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) for those who still are symptomatic and have exacerbations (NEJM JW Gen Med Jun 15 2017 and Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2017; 195:557).

This approach was examined in an industry-funded trial in 10,355 patients with symptomatic COPD and at least one exacerbation in the previous 1 year who were randomized to a LABA/LAMA (vilanterol/umeclidinium [Anoro Ellipta]), a LABA/ICS (vilanterol/fluticasone [Breo…

Reviewing Author

David J. Amrol, MD

Disclosures

Speaker’s BureauAstraZeneca; Incyte

David J. Amrol, MD

Disclosures

Speaker’s BureauAstraZeneca; Incyte

Triple Therapy for COPD Patients

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Reviewing Author