Differential diagnosis of acute exacerbation of COPD
The following conditions should be considered and excluded when making a diagnosis of an exacerbation in a COPD patient (1,2).
- pneumonia
- pneumothorax
- left ventricular failure/pulmonary oedema
- pulmonary embolus
- lung cancer
- upper airway obstruction
- pleural effusion
- recurrent aspiration
Reference:
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in over 16s: diagnosis and management. Jul 2019 [internet publication].
- Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: 2025 report. 2025 [internet publication].
Create an account to add page annotations
Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.