Recommendations on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Cardiovascular Risk

Abstract

COPD is a common, preventable, and treatable disease, usually caused by significant exposure to harmful particles or gases and influenced by host factors. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) comprises a series of pathologies with common risk factors, such as coronary artery disease, heart failure (HF), cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, and atrial fibrillation (AF). The coexistence of both is frequent, and they interact beyond simple epidemiological coincidence. Both complicate the diagnostic process, and their overlap complicates the ongoing monitoring of patients and their appropriate management, which must consider the potentially deleterious effect of cardiovascular (CV) medications on COPD and vice versa. The complexity of managing patients with COPD and CVD contrasts with the limited availability of specific, consensual recommendations in clinical practice guidelines. Therefore, this intersociety document aims to provide an effective tool for the interdisciplinary approach to these highly prevalent pathologies.