Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Comorbidities

It is known that Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is associated with increased hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, muscle weakness and a number of other conditions.

These comorbidities have traditionally been regarded as coexistent medical conditions but increasingly they are now being regarded as causally related to COPD. They have an important effect on the quality of life, morbidity and mortality of COPD and are having an effect on disease management and treatment outcomes. The link between COPD and comorbidities may be through systemic inflammation which opens up new treatment options.

The speaker, Norbert Berend, has a strong research background in respiratory field. He was giving an Award of Merit and made an Honorary Member of the European Respiratory Society in recognition of outstanding contributions to the development of respiratory medicine in 2012.