ABSTRACT
Bronchodilators form one of the mainstays of therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Aggressive use of these agents can often improve lung function in patients with significant symptoms due to respiratory impairment. As a result, patients can often experience both a reduction in symptoms and an improvement in their quality of life even if bronchodilators are only partially effective in improving expiratory airflow. Since bronchodilators are available in several classes, it is obviously of clinical interest to determine if combination therapy with several bronchodilators might have clinical advantages. This chapter will review combination bronchodilator therapy focusing on patients with COPD and on the role of anticholinergics in such combinations.
