Effect of Systemic Inflammation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on Cardiovascular system.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is defined as a preventable and treatable disease with some significant extrapulmonary effects that may contribute to the severity in individual patients. Its pulmonary component is characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible which is usually progressive and associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lung to noxious particles or gases. Recent scientific evidences have proven that COPD is not only a disease of the lung but also a matter of systemic inflammation. It has not been resolved whether the systemic inflammation in COPD is an ‘overspill’ of the inflammation of the lung or whether the pathology occurring in the lungs is a manifestation of the systemic inflammation itself. One of the organ system affected by the systemic inflammation in COPD is the cardiovascular system, causing increase of morbidity and mortality in COPD. Interaction between systemic inflammation in COPD and the cardiovascular system has not been fully understood. Full comprehension regarding interaction of both system is expected so that optimal and effective treatment of COPD patients can be administered thus decreasing its morbidity and mortality.Keywords: COPD, systemic inflammation, atherosclerosis, heart disease