[A clinical practice guideline for diagnosis and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2000 considered that 274 million people died in the world because of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Global mortality by COPD depends on the stage of the disease and 30 to 48 % die during the next four to seven years after the diagnosis. The global burden of disease for the 2020 measurement through the years of potential life lost (YPLL) estimates that COPD is in the 10th place at world-wide level. The great variability in the care of the patients with COPD, as well as the increase in the number of patients with acute exacerbations makes necessary the development of a clinical practice guideline to standardize the treatment and the interventions of rehabilitation, nutrition in the three levels of health care with the objective to improve the quality of care and to promote the efficient use of the resources.