When other diseases coexist with COPD, treatment for both becomes much more complex. It is essential that all the doctors treating such a patient be especially knowledgeable about how the drugs that help pulmonary obstruction affect the other disease(s), and how medication used to treat the other condition(s) affect(s) COPD. And each specialist treating the patient must know exactly which drugs the others have prescribed.

When more than one chronic condition requires treatment, the rule of thumb is that the most threatening one receives priority in terms of medication chosen. Beyond this, the drugs selected to control the other problem(s) must not aggravate this most critical one. Fortunately, most drugs available for COPD patients offer a variety of safe and effective solutions for the pharmacologic treatment of these complex situations.

Cardiovascular Disease

Because smoking is a risk factor for both COPD and cardiovascular disease, it is no surprise that 50% of COPD patients over 50 suffer from cardiovascular disease as well. The term cardiovascular disease actually refers to several different problems involving the heart and circulatory system.

In congestive heart failure, the heartwhich is a highly specialized musclehas become too weak to pump blood adequately. Although both sides of the heart are vulnerable to