Therapeutic Escalation in Moderate-to-Severe COPD

Target Audience

The educational design of this activity addresses the needs of primary care and pulmonology clinicians who manage patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Program Description

COPD exacerbations are associated with rapid decreases in lung function, major detriments to patients’ quality of life, increased risk of cardiovascular events, high mortality rates, and increased use of healthcare resources. Additionally, exacerbations accelerate the downward cycle of breathing difficulties, activity avoidance, and physical decline that characterize COPD progression—highlighting the critical goals of tailoring maintenance therapy to the unique needs of each patient. In this Phone-a-Friend episode, Dr. Chuck Vega consults with Dr. MeiLan Han to discuss treatment escalation options for his patient who was recently discharged from the hospital for a COPD exacerbation.

Educational Objective

After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:

• Tailor maintenance regimens for patients with COPD to reflect disease severity, treatable traits, exacerbation risks, comorbidities, and patient preferences

Physician Accreditation Statement

Integritas Communications is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Physician Credit Designation

Integritas designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosures of Relevant Financial Relationships

Integritas adheres to the policies and guidelines, including the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited CE, set forth to providers by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and all other professional organizations, as applicable, stating those activities where continuing education credits are awarded must be balanced, independent, objective, and scientifically rigorous. All persons in a position to control the content are required to disclose all financial relationships with any ineligible company within the past 24 months to Integritas.  All financial relationships reported are identified as relevant and mitigated by Integritas in accordance with the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited CE in advance of delivery of the activity to learners. The content of this activity was vetted by Integritas to assure objectivity and that the activity is free of commercial bias. 

All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

The faculty have the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies:

MeiLan K. Han, MD, MS: Consulting Fees: Aerogen, Altesa BioSciences, Inc., Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Chiesi USA Inc., Cipla Inc., DevPro Biopharma LLC., GSK plc, Integrity, Merck & Co., Inc., Mylan N.V., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Polarean, Inc., Pulmonx Corporation, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Sanofi S.A., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Verona Pharma plc; Contracted Research: AstraZeneca, Biodesix, Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Gala Therapeutics, Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Nuvaira Inc., Sanofi S.A., Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Ownership Interest (Stock Options): Altesa BioSciences, Inc., Meissa Vaccines, Inc.

Charles P. Vega, MD, FAAFP: Consulting Fees: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, GSK plc

The planners and managers at Integritas Communications have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use

This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Integritas Communications does not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. 

The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization associated with this activity. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclaimer

Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of patient conditions and possible contraindications or dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.

Instructions to Receive Credit

In order to receive credit for this activity, the participant must score 100% on the posttest and complete the program evaluation.

Fee Information & Refund/Cancellation Policy

There is no fee for this educational activity.

Integritas Contact Information

For questions about this activity, please contact Integritas Communications at info@exchangecme.com.