الفهرس 
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Abstract
COPD is an ultimately underdiagnosed disorder, with the diagnosis typically missed or delayed until the condition is advanced. Spirometry is the most frequently used pulmonary function test, and enables health professionals to make an objective measurement of airflow obstruction and assess the degree of its reversibility (Soriano et al., 2009).
COPD is one of the leading causes of death in developed nations and affects both men and women. Smoking is the main cause of COPD, and accounts for 80% to 90% of COPD-related deaths (Torpy et al., 2010).
In Egypt, prevalence, morbidity and mortality are still lacking and have to be estimated; however, COPD is arising significant health problem in Egypt (Egyptian Society of Chest Diseases and Tuberculosis, 2003).
Aim of the work:
The aim of this work is to study COPD patients in Gamal Abd-El Nasser Hospital during period from January 2017 to June 2017 as regard demographic, clinical
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characteristic of the patients and available prescription pattern.
Subjects and methods:
This study included all COPD patients either referred to outpatient chest clinic or admitted to the hospital. Diagnosis of COPD was done according to Global Initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guideline, 2017.
All patients were subjected to:
1. Full medical history and examination.
2. Pre and post bronchodilator spirometric study according to (GOLD, 2017). In case of patients who can’t perform spirometry they were included only if there were previous spirometric documents available.
3. Chest X-Ray: Chest X-Ray with PA view to exclude any other Chest diseases.
4. Questionnaire to detect epidemiology, demographic, clinical characteristic of the patients and available prescription pattern.
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Results:
Two hundred and ninety patients (161 outpatients and 129 inpatients), fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of COPD, while 24 recruited patients were excluded, although, they were previously diagnosed as COPD patients in which 10 patients proven to have no airway obstruction (by spirometry), and 14 were bronchial asthma patients.
The mean age was 62.35 and 56.65 in inpatient and outpatients respectively, and only 10.68% of studied COPD patients were females. There were 80.69% came from urban areas.
The majority of studied COPD patients were of low social class indicated by low educational level, and low employment grade.
Nearly all COPD patients were either current or ex-smoker. Cigarette smoking was the most common type of smoking.
The most presenting symptoms were dyspnea, cough and chest wheezes almost present in all studied COPD patients.
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The mean number of exacerbations was 20.6 and 11.7 for inpatients and outpatients respectively in the last year.
Of COPD patients 36.2% were overweight; and there was a positive correlation between the degree of obstruction and body mass index (BMI).
Ischemic heart disease, hypertension and diabetes mellitus were the most frequent comorbidities among studied COPD patients.
In this study, there were 31.38% in moderate stage, 46.55% were in severe stage and 22.07% were in very severe stage.
The popular treatments received by studied COPD patients were 3rd cephalosporin and Quinolone as Antibiotics, Theophylline was the most common bronchodilator prescribed, while systemic steroids were commonly used during exacerbations and for a short course.
Short acting B2 agonist inhalers whether alone or in combination with beclomethasone were the most commonly used inhalers, while long acting B2 agonist and anticholinergic (short and long acting) inhalers were seldom used.
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There was small role of vaccines (.34%), while patient education (85.5%) and no role for rehabilitation in the management of studied patients