Giezeman M, et al. - The changing influence over time of comorbid heart disease on symptoms and health status in COPD patients was examined in this prospective cohort study of 495 COPD patients. Three groups of the study population were formed: patients without heart disease (no-HD), those diagnosed with heart disease during the study period (new-HD) and those with heart disease at baseline (HD). Outcomes suggest that in COPD, heart disease contributes to lower health status and higher symptom burden but does not expedite the worsening over time.