The use of this medication when appropriate can shorten recovery time, reduce the risk of early relapse, treatment failure and hospitalization
What is antibiotics
A diagnosis of this can be made in patients with chronic cough and sputum production for at least 3 months per year for 2 consecutive years in the absence of another condition that can explain these symptoms
What is chronic bronchitis
In patients with COPD, Physical activity is a strong predictor of this
What is mortality
This drug class used in the short-term can improve lung function (FEV1), oxygenation and shorten recovery time and hospital duration
What are short-term systemic corticosteroids
Asthma is considered this when spirometry shows irreversible obstruction (one that does not resolve with bronchodilators.
what is chronic obstructive asthma
GOLD guidelines recommend the choice of antibiotics be based on this
What is antibiograms
This is diagnosed by forced spirometry that demonstrates the presence of a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC <0.7.
What is COPD
Gold guidelines strongly favor the addition of this drug class to long-acting bronchodilators in patients with a history of hospitalization due to COPD exacerbation and >2 exacerbations/year
What is inhaled corticosteroids
The long-term use of this medication has numerous side effects with no evidence of benefit
oral glucocorticoidsteroids