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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - Management
Overview of management
- Assessment
- Assess the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) according to the reduction in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), degree of breathlessness according to the Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale, body mass index, and presence of cor pulmonale.
- Document the person's smoking history, encourage smokers to stop, and offer smoking cessation treatment.
- Assess for anxiety or depression in people who are hypoxic or have severe dyspnoea.
- Check the full blood count, and arrange other investigations as appropriate.
- Referral
- Consider referral:
- To a respiratory specialist, for assessment for oxygen therapy.
- For pulmonary rehabilitation.
- To a physiotherapist.
- To social services and occupational therapy.
- Treatment
- Advice
- Managing cor pulmonale
- Follow up
- Follow up all people with COPD; the frequency of follow up depends on the severity of disease.
- Discussing end-of-life issues
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