This recommendation places high value on long-acting β2-agonist therapy reducing the risk of acute exacerbations of COPD, both moderate (required course of oral steroids, antibiotics, or both) and severe (required hospitalization), together with the comparative benefit of long-acting β2-agonist therapy improving quality of life and lung function compared with placebo. This recommendation also acknowledges that there are no significant differences in serious adverse events or incidence of mortality between long-acting β2-agonist therapy and placebo in this patient group.