Adding a common antibiotic to the usual daily treatment regimen for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can reduce the occurrence of acute exacerbations and improve quality of life, reports new results from a clinical trial funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health.
The study will appear in the Aug. 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
“Acute exacerbations account for a significant part of COPD’s health burden,” said Susan B. Shurin, M.D., acting director of the NHLBI. “These promising results with azithromycin may help us reduce that burden and improve the lives of patients at risk.”
Adding a common antibiotic to the usual daily treatment regimen for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can reduce the occurrence of acute exacerbations and improve quality of life, reports new results from a clinical trial funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health.
The study will appear in the Aug. 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
“Acute exacerbations account for a significant part of COPD’s health burden,” said Susan B. Shurin, M.D., acting director of the NHLBI. “These promising results with azithromycin may help us reduce that burden and improve the lives of patients at risk.”