Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are typically older [1], and have multiple comorbidities, including heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, and arrhythmias [2–5]. The coexistence of COPD with these comorbidities increases the risk of COPD exacerbations (ECOPDs) and/or death [2], with the risk of future ECOPDs also increased in patients who have previously experienced ECOPDs, especially prior ECOPDs requiring hospitalisation (H-ECOPD) [6,7].
