Early intervention in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A review of the Lung Health Study results

Med Clin North Am. 1996 May;80(3):523-47. doi: 10.1016/s0025-7125(05)70452-1.

Abstract

The major findings of the LHS that have been reported thus far are that an effective smoking cessation program can be developed that can produce more than a 20% success rate in getting smokers to give up the habit permanently, and that by stopping smoking, individuals with early COPD benefit by having an initial improvement in lung function and a slowing of the annual loss of their FEV1. The use of a bronchodilator has a short-term effect in improving the FEV1, but it does not affect long-term changes in lung function. AHR is common in patients with mild-to-moderate COPD. The reward for a smoker to give up the habit is an initial gain in FEV1 and a subsequent close to normal annual rate of decline of this pulmonary function parameter. These results should provide a positive incentive for smokers to quit and thereby decrease the morbidity and mortality caused by the use of tobacco.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Behavior Therapy*
  • Bronchodilator Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ipratropium / therapeutic use*
  • Lung Diseases, Obstructive / etiology
  • Lung Diseases, Obstructive / physiopathology
  • Lung Diseases, Obstructive / prevention & control*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Respiratory Mechanics / drug effects
  • Smoking / adverse effects
  • Smoking / physiopathology
  • Smoking / therapy*
  • Smoking Cessation / methods*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Bronchodilator Agents
  • Ipratropium