COPD patients express hardships in new GSK study

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. Patients living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease said the illness prevented them from living life to its fullest, according to research conducted by drug maker GlaxoSmithKline.

GSK, which makes the COPD and asthma treatment Advair Diskus (fluticasone propionate and salmeterol inhalation powder), marked World COPD Day on Wednesday by announcing results of its research, which show patients as feeling a loss of energy, control, independence and their old selves. People reported becoming increasingly limited in their daily activities and relying on the Internet to find information and interact with people who share their experiences.

COPD affects around 12 million people in the United States who typically have emphysema, chronic bronchitis or both.