Two Thirds of Family Doctors Believe COPD will be the Leading Cause of Death in 2020

Two Thirds of Family Doctors Believe COPD will be the Leading Cause of Death in 2020

May 22, 2006

-- Management of Exacerbations `Crucial' to Reduce COPD Mortality
-- For Accredited International Healthcare Journalists Only

    SAN DIEGO, May 22 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Survey results
from the `Time to Live' report, presented today at the
American Thoracic Society International Congress, show over
two thirds of primary care physicians (66%) fear COPD will
be the leading cause of death in 2020 despite almost all
(98%) believing that there are effective treatments
available for this condition(1).

    COPD is a major cause of death worldwide, and,
according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), is
currently the fourth most common cause of death after
cancer, ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular
disease(2). Of these diseases, only COPD shows increasing
rates of mortality -- the WHO estimate COPD will become the
third most common cause of death by 2020. However, today's
results suggest the WHO may have underestimated the extent
to which COPD prevalence will increase, according to
European physicians at the front line of COPD management. 

    The survey elements of the `Time to Live' report,
comprising structured telephone interviews of primary care
physicians in five European countries (Germany, France, UK,
Italy and Spain), shows 73% consider reduced
hospitalisations are crucial for the well being of COPD
patients -- a statistic reinforced by previous studies
showing between 22% - 43% of COPD patients hospitalised due
to an exacerbation will die within one year(3,4,5,6).

    Around 90% of the general practitioners questioned
believe prevention of exacerbations should be a prominent
consideration in choosing a patient's COPD therapy, with a
similar number believing reduced exacerbations are
essential to improve patients' health-related quality of
life -- ultimately in reducing the risk of COPD prevalence
rates exceeding WHO predictions over the next 14 years.

    68% believe that inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) should
be considered at an early stage in therapy. Half of those
questioned suggest patients be prescribed either an ICS or
a combination therapy such as ICS and long-acting beta 2
agonist (LABA) to minimise the likelihood and impact of
exacerbations.

    "These results provide further evidence of the
crucial impact of preventing and managing COPD
exacerbations and the subsequent impact this has on
patients' health-related quality of life," explained
`Time to Live' author Dr John Haughney, a General
Practitioner in Scotland and Chairman of the UK General
Practice Airways Group. "The survey also highlights
the need for effective treatments such as ICS / LABA
combinations, which have been proven to reduce patient
exacerbations, important factors in reducing the risk of
hospitalisations and subsequent mortality associated with
COPD," he continued.

    For further information about the `Time to Live'
report, or to request an interview with a member of the
`Time to Live' study team, please do not hesitate to
contact:

    The Time to Live survey was supported by an
unrestricted educational grant from AstraZeneca.
AstraZeneca are the manufacturers of Symbicort(R), a
combination of the inhaled corticosteroid budesonide and
rapid- and long-acting beta-agonist formoterol, which is
indicated for the treatment of COPD and asthma

    References:

    1. Primary Care Physicians' Perception and Practice in
Management of COPD 
       Patients (results from the Time to Live report),
scheduled for 
       presentation at ATS, May 21, 2006
    2. http://www.who.int/respiratory/copd/en/
    3. Eriksen N, et al. Ugeskr Laeger 2003;165:3499-3502
    4. Groenewegen KH, et al. Chest 2003;124:459-467
    5. Almagro P, et al. Chest 2002;121:1441-1448
    6. Connors AF, et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med
1996;154:959-967

    For more information, please contact:

     Anette Orheim
     AstraZeneca
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]

     Jim Baxter
     Cohn & Wolfe
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]

SOURCE  AstraZeneca Plc