Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive lung disease

Sa？etak Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) are defined as episodes of increased respiratory symptoms, particularly dyspnea, sputum volume and purulence, requiring additional therapy. Acute exacerbations are mostly induced by viral, less often bacterial or mixed infections. Patients with two or more exacerbations treated in the outpatient department (or at least one hospitalisation for acute exacerbation) are considered as frequent exacerbators – the phenotype associated with poorer quality of life and accelerated loss of lung function. More than 80% of acute exacerbations can be treated in the outpatient setting with bronchodilators, short-course of oral corticosteroids and/or antibiotics