Long-acting anticholinergic improves lung function for a range of COPD patients

摘要

Treatment with the long-acting anticholinergic tiotropium (Spiriva) improves lung function and reduces exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,according to the first primary care study to investigate this in a broad range of patients.The SPRUCE (Spiriva usual care) study randomised 395 patients with COPD from 48 practices across the UK to inhaled tiotropium (18 mug once daily) or placebo.