Time to Live Report

"When considering therapeutic options, doctors should focus on ensuring they recommend treatments based on their ability to reduce burden of exacerbations as well as providing symptomatic relief."Prof Thys van der Molen

"Reducing the frequency and severity of exacerbations, and treating them aggressively and effectively, is even more important than long term symptom management."Dr John Haughney

Time to Live Report highlights need to re-focus COPD management

A report on the importance of treating COPD exacerbations and supported by WONCA was first launched on World COPD Day 2005. The Time to Live Report calls for doctors to adopt guidelines and re-prioritise their approach in COPD management. Despite updated guidelines and advances in treatment, a quarter of COPD patients hospitalised with an exacerbation will be dead within a year, and more than 90% of sufferers report that exacerbations affect their daily life.
The report's Executive Summary and Foreword is available in English, German, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese.
Download the full Time to Live Report

Time to focus on exacerbations

Almost 1 in 6 people admitted to hospital suffering from a severe exacerbation of COPD die. This mortality rate is higher than that seen among patients admitted with myocardial infarction. Reducing the frequency and severity of exacerbations can therefore dramatically improve clinical and economic outcomes in COPD.

Using guidelines to maximise patient benefit

Following international and national guidelines should help clinicians reduce the considerable morbidity and mortality arising from severe exacerbations.

How COPD is treated today

This chapter summarises the pharmacological management of COPD in primary care, which encompasses most patients, covering the recommendations in the GOLD guidelines, which are widely recognised as the premier international guidelines on COPD.

Delivering solutions: reducing exacerbations

COPD remains incurable and no current medication fully prevents the decline in lung function. However evidence-based guidelines for COPD reflect the growing recognition that COPD is preventable and treatable.