The Evolving Role of Triple Combination Therapy for COPD

Target Audience

The educational design of this activity addresses the needs of primary care and pulmonology clinicians, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, who manage patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Program Overview

Single-inhaler triple combination maintenance therapies have been found particularly effective in patients with moderate to very severe COPD who have experienced an exacerbation.  In clinical trials, these therapies have demonstrated greater effectiveness than either dual-fixed drug comparator irrespective of baseline COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, including reduced exacerbation rates, improved lung function, and lower mortality risks. Further, observational studies have also found that prompt initiation of triple therapy in patients who have experienced exacerbations decreases future exacerbation risks as well as economic burdens associated with COPD. This activity will explore the outcomes of these trials and collect expert insight on how to translate this information to today’s practice.

Educational Objective

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

• Discuss recent clinical trial data for triple maintenance therapy in patients with COPD, including prompt initiation

Faculty

Fernando J. Martinez, MD, MS

Chief, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Bruce Webster Professor of Medicine

Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine

Weill Cornell Medical College

New York - Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical CenterNew York, New York

Sally K. Miller, PhD, CRNP, FNP-BC, AGACN-BC, AGPCNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, FAANP

Clinical Professor

Drexel University

College of Nursing and Health Professions

Department of Advanced Practice Nursing

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Physician Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Global Education Group (Global) and Integritas Communications.  Global is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Physician Credit Designation

Global designates this enduring material 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.

Nurse Practitioner Continuing Education

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Accreditation Standards of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) through the joint providership of Global and Integritas Communications. Global is accredited by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners as an approved provider of nurse practitioner continuing education. Provider number: 110121. This activity is approved for 0.25 contact hour(s) (which includes 0.0 hour(s) of pharmacology).

Global Contact Information

For information about the approval of this program, please contact Global at 303-395-1782 or cme@globaleducationgroup.com.

Instructions to Receive Credit

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

Fee Information & Refund/Cancellation Policy

There is no fee for this educational activity.

Disclosures of Conflicts of Interest

Global adheres to the policies and guidelines, including the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited CE, set forth to providers by the 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 of an accredited continuing education program provided by Global are required to disclose all financial relationships with any ineligible company within the past 24 months to Global.  All financial relationships reported are identified as relevant and mitigated by Global 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 Global 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:

The planners and managers have the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies:

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. Global and Integritas Communications do 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.