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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - Management
How should I assess a person with an acute exacerbation of COPD?
- Assess the severity of the exacerbation. The following physical signs are features of a severe exacerbation:
- Marked dyspnoea and tachypnoea.
- Pursed-lip breathing.
- Use of accessory muscles at rest.
- Acute confusion.
- New-onset cyanosis or peripheral oedema.
- Marked reduction in activities of daily living.
- Consider the need for hospital admission.
- Do not send sputum samples for culture routinely.
- Assess oxygen saturation using pulse oximetry.
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