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The research progress of high altitude environment-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and therapeutic drugs

ZENG Xiang-Hai^1,2,3, SUONAN Ge-Le⁴, HUANG Qin¹, LI Yu^1,2,3, ZHANG Xiao-Jing¹, LI Wen-Bin^1,2,3, WANG Rong^1,2,3,*

¹Department of Pharmacy, the 940th Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force, Lanzhou 730050, China；²School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China；³Gansu Plateau Pharmaceutical Technology Center, Lanzhou 730050, China；⁴Department of Internal Medicine, Qinghai Yushu People’s Hospital, Yushu 815099, China

Abstract

The plateau environment is characterized by low oxygen, low air pressure, low temperature, and strong ultraviolet rays, etc. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a preventable and treatable chronic lung disease. High altitude environment increases COPD prevalence, clinical manifestation and mortality. The therapeutic window of theophylline drugs for COPD is narrow, and the high altitude environment has an influence on the pharmacokinetics of the drugs. This review summarizes the differences in the prevalence, mortality, clinical manifestation and clinical symptoms of COPD in the plateau and plain, providing a basis for identifying the risk factors of COPD in the plateau areas. The effects of plateau hypoxic environment on the pharmacokinetics of COPD drugs were also discussed. It can provide a rationale for more effective prevention and treatment of COPD at high altitude.

Key words: high altitude; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; rational drug use

Received: 　　Accepted:

Corresponding author: 王荣　　E-mail: wangrong-69@163.com

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2023.0066

Citing This Article：

ZENG Xiang-Hai, SUONAN Ge-Le, HUANG Qin, LI Yu, ZHANG Xiao-Jing, LI Wen-Bin, WANG Rong. The research progress of high altitude environment-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and therapeutic drugs. Acta Physiol Sin 2023; 75 (5): 691-702