This patient is not breathing properly: is this COPD, heart failure, or neither?

Pellicori, P. , Salekin, D., Pan, D. and Clark, A. L. (2017) This patient is not breathing properly: is this COPD, heart failure, or neither? Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy, 15(5), pp. 389-396. (doi: 10.1080/14779072.2017.1317592) (PMID:28395556)

Abstract

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are two common, heterogeneous, long-term illnesses which cause significant morbidity and mortality. Although they both present with breathlessness, they are treated differently. Treatment of COPD focuses mainly on relieving short-term breathlessness, whilst treatment of HF has focused on long term morbidity and mortality. Areas covered: In this review, we aim to highlight the diagnostic challenges in distinguishing COPD from HF. We also explore the implications of their overlap, and the use of biomarkers and treatments for HF in patients with COPD to improve long-term outcomes. Expert commentary: Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality amongst patients with COPD is substantial. Approaches which identify patients with COPD at highest cardiovascular risk may therefore be helpful. A trial targeting those patients with COPD and raised natriuretic peptide levels might be the way to test whether cardiovascular medication has anything to offer the respiratory patient.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Pellicori, Dr Pierpaolo
• Authors: Pellicori, P., Salekin, D., Pan, D., and Clark, A. L.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Robertson Centre
• Journal Name: Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 1477-9072
• ISSN (Online): 1744-8344
• Published Online: 11 April 2017
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
• First Published: First published in Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy 15(5):389-396
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher