The chances of survival can be extended along with a slow-down in the loss of lung function with an early treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

COPD is usually always caused by smoking. It includes two diseases: chronic bronchitis, in which the airways become inflamed; and emphysema, in which the air sacs in the lung are damaged. COPD gets worse with time and treatment does not reverse lung damage but it surely makes all the patients feel better.

The UPLIFT study involved 6,000 COPD patients and tested the inhaled, long-acting bronchodilator Spiriva. The investigators also reported that Spiriva can safely help patients with severe COPD to breathe easily. But the treatment did not slow the loss of lung function in COPD patients.

Further analysis of 2,739 UPLIFT patients with moderate COPD shows that Spiriva could actually slow COPD progression. The treatment improved the quality of life over the four-year study.

It was concluded that early detection of COPD and treatment can be helpful.