RESUMO
Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a major public health problem. Objective: To find the causes and the treatment results for acute exacerbation of COPD at Department of Respiratory of Bach Mai Hospital. Subjects and method: A study conducted in 87 patients treated by an acute exacerbation of COPD at Department of Respiratory of Bach Mai Hospital from March to August 2005. Results and conclusions: 88.5% of patients were men. Severe patients were most common in age over 55 years. The risk factor was smoking (over 66.7%). 47.8% of patients were in III stage and 37.7% were in IV stage. The cause of acute exacerbation of COPD was bronchial surinfection (83.9%); and 37.9% of them refused an antibiotic or bronchodilatators at home when they had severe symptoms of exacerbation. Most of them did not have enough condition in their homes for treatment (oxygen, aerosol machine). After 20 days (16.69 \xb1 8.7 days) treated by antibiotics, bronchodilatators, corticoid and oxygen, 90.8% of our patients were at good health. 2 of them were died by severe disease.