Anticholinergic drugs in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Mariam Maglakelidze, Tamaz Lobzhanidze

Department of Internal Medicine, Georgian State Medical Academy, Georgia

Modern anticholinergic medications are effective broncholitics, used during Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) therapy. The advantage of these medications is safe clinical profile. Series of researches have shown the superiority of broncholitical effect of anticholinergic medications over sympatomimetics in COPD patients. Besides, during prolonged intake of anticholinergic medications, unlike sympatomimetics, development of tachyphylaxy or desentization of receptors is not observed. In patients with exarcebations of COPD, anticholinergic medications and β2-agonists have almost equal effect. Despite of absence of strict conclusive base of superiority of combination therapy during COPD exacerbations, the present therapy is still chosen by many experts as optimal strategy for patient treatment, especially for patients with severe pulmonary deficiency.

Keywords:  anticholinergic drugs, treatment, acute exacerbation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease