management of COPD
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The goals of COPD treatment are to
- reduce long-term lung function decline
- prevent and treat exacerbations
- reduce hospitalizations and mortality
- relieve disabling dyspnoea
- improve exercise tolerance and health-related quality of life
- prevent and treat complications (1,2)
To reach these goals, an effective management plan should be initiated which should include the following components:
- assess and monitor disease
- reduce risk factors
- manage stable COPD
- manage exacerbations (2)
GOLD have defined a flow chart as to how the different actions and factors in management of COPD interact (3):
© 2020, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, available from www.goldcopd.org, published in Fontana, WI, USA.
An explanation of the combined ABCD tool in GOLD (3):
© 2020, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, available from www.goldcopd.org, published in Fontana, WI, USA.
Reference:
- (1) Qaseem A et al. Diagnosis and management of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a clinical practice guideline update from the American College of Physicians, American College of Chest Physicians, American Thoracic Society, and European Respiratory Society. Ann Intern Med. 2011;155(3):179-91.
- (2) World Health Organization (WHO). Chronic respiratory disease. COPD management.
- (3) Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. Global Strategy for the Diagnosis, Management, and Prevention of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (2021 Report)
Last edited 02/2021 and last reviewed 02/2021
Links:
- management of stable COPD
- infective exacerbations of COPD
- oxygen therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- oxygen therapy in chronic respiratory failure due to COAD
- inhaled corticosteroids in COPD
- venesection
- diuretics in COAD
- referral criteria from primary care - COPD
- other non-drug treatment
- chronic obstructive airways disease (anaesthesia fitness)
- follow-up of COPD in primary care
- palliative care in end-stage COPD
- assessment and monitoring of COPD
- NICE guidance - management of stable COPD
- prophylactic antibiotic therapy in COPD
- hospital or community setting for management of exacerbation of COPD