COPD & Cardiovascular Risk | ESC 2026
* COPD should be viewed as a cardiopulmonary disease, not simply a respiratory disorder.
C 2026
* COPD is not only a lung disease: in mild–moderate COPD, cardiovascular disease and cancer—not respiratory failure—are major causes of death.
* Actively screen for CVD: CAD, HF, arrhythmias and pulmonary hypertension should be sought rather than waiting for symptoms.
* HF is common: reported in roughly 10–50% of COPD patients.
* Troponin: frequently elevated during acute COPD exacerbations and does not automatically mean type-1 MI; interpret with symptoms, ECG and serial troponin.
* CT offers a cardiovascular opportunity: chest CT performed for COPD/lung assessment can also reveal coronary calcification and pulmonary-vessel enlargement.
* Echo → CMR: hyperinflation can impair echocardiographic windows; CMR is useful when echo is inadequate.
* Exacerbations matter: cardiovascular risk rises substantially after severe COPD exacerbations → reassess CV risk after an exacerbation.
* PH-COPD: PAH-targeted pulmonary vasodilators are not recommended for mild–moderate PH, as benefit is unproven and they may worsen V/Q mismatch and hypoxemia. In severe PH (PVR >5 WU), individualized therapy may be considered only at an expert PH center after RHC. RHC is the gold standard for confirming/classifying PH and distinguishing lung-related, left-heart, or mixed causes, as these findings directly influence treatment decisions.
* Source: ERS International Congress 2026, Barcelona — 6 September 2026.Sources:
ESC Congress 2026, Munich — 28–31 August 2026
The world’s largest international respiratory medicine congress.2026, Barcelona — 5–9 September 2026؛
https://www.ersnet.org/
