COPD is a progressive disease that is fully not reversible. Drugs are used to prevent exacerbations, to improve the quality of life and slow the progression of the disease. In this randomized double-blinded/ double-dummy, parallel group comparative study involving 60 subjects (of whom 46 completed the trial), a comparison of efficacy (FVC) was made between the most commonly used drugs, theophylline, inhaled tiotropium (DPI), and a combination of formoterol-budesonide by inhaler (DPI). Tiotropium bromide improved FVC significantly. Theophylline also improved the lung function, but was associated with the highest drop-out rate probably due to adverse effects. The formoterol-budesonide combination did not provide statistically significant improvements in FVC. Though the individual drugs did help, it was the combination of all the three drugs that best improved the FVC.
