Antibiotics in exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a reason of illness in each one of the four older than 40 years persons. The disease exacerbations cause often hospitalizations, generate high budget's costs, make the patients life quality worsen and influent the higher mortality. The disease course forced the new classification including particularly the grade of obstruction, symptoms and the risk of exacerbations. The most frequent reason of exacerbations are bacterias: Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The last two pathogens can cause severe exacerbations requiring intensive therapy. The COPD therapy rules, including antibiotics and the special role of macrolides, were discussed in the article.