ABSTRACT
Inhaled pharmacotherapy is prescribed for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to achieve specific goals enumerated by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), by the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), as well as by national and international scientific societies. The stated goals of pharmacotherapy are remarkably similar for patients with asthma and COPD: reducing impairment/symptoms and the risk of future exacerbations along with other adverse outcomes. Currently, patient advocacy organizations, investigators, thought leaders, professional organizations, and pharmaceutical companies prioritize patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for treatment of those with asthma and COPD. Achievement of “asthma control” has been a consistent theme in guidelines and strategies for treating asthma, whereas the concept of “disease control” has more recently been proposed in COPD.
