The IMPACT randomized trial compared once-daily triple therapy with two dual-combination inhaler regimens in patients with symptomatic moderate-to-severe COPD and a history of exacerbations. Triple therapy reduced the annual rate of moderate or severe COPD exacerbations and improved lung function and health status compared with selected dual therapies. The study is clinically relevant to general physicians because COPD care often involves balancing symptom burden, exacerbation risk, inhaler complexity and adverse effects. Inhaled corticosteroid-containing regimens may be particularly useful for patients with frequent exacerbations or features suggesting an eosinophilic phenotype, but treatment should be individualized. Correct inhaler technique and adherence are as important as selecting the pharmacologic combination. The evidence also demonstrates why COPD management should include vaccination, smoking cessation, pulmonary rehabilitation and comorbidity assessment rather than treating inhaler prescriptions as the entire intervention. For APICON's obstructive-airway focus, IMPACT provides a practical example of how evidence from controlled trials can be translated into phenotype-based escalation while avoiding unnecessary treatment in lower-risk patients.