A true commitment of outpatient care to adequately treat patients with COPD, both with and without concomitant HF, with a synergistic approach by pulmonologists and cardiologists, with the monitoring of pulmonary and cardiac functions (including, if possible, serial testing of NT-proBNP levels to identify patients at high risk who need a modification of the therapy) at each visit and an appropriate use of β1-blockers when necessary would greatly reduce the risk for AECOPD and, as a consequence, the need for hospital admissions and the risk of death. The gene discussed is NPPB; the disease is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.