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According to emergency admissions data in UK hospitals around 25% of patients admitted to the emergency department have COPD as a main diagnosis (1). Severity of the breathlessness and the need for emergency admission should be assessed by checking the vital signs (like pulse, blood pressure, temperature, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation), PEFR (peak expiratory flow rate) and level of consciousness (1,2).
Patients with any of the following should be admitted to the hospital immediately
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