[Treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease--traditional bronchodilatation and targeted anti-inflammatory therapy].

Currently available pharmacological treatment of COPD relies mostly on prophylaxis (smoking cessation) and symptomatic treatment, i.e. inhaled anticholinergic agents, β2-agonists and phosphodiesterase inhibitors, aiming in their bronchodilatation capacity. Inhaled corticosteroid therapy is mainly prescribed in far advanced stages of the disease and its role in disease modification is still controversial. The authors analize currently available treatment modalities with regards to their potential anti-inflammatory and pleiotropic mode of action, which may lead to disease course modification.