main aim is to make patients active partners in their ongoing care and to arm them with knowledge, confidence and skills required to self-manage their disease effectively (1)
topics which are covered in this section include: basic information about COPD, strategies to help minimize dyspnoea, advice about when to seek help, decision-making during exacerbation etc.
pulmonary rehabilitation
should be made available to all appropriate patients with COPD (patients who consider themselves functionally disabled by COPD - usually MRC grade 3 and above) including those who have had a recent hospitalisation for an acute exacerbation
is not suitable for patients who are unable to walk, have unstable angina or who have had a recent myocardial infarction
it has shown to
dyspnoea, health status and exercise tolerance in stable patients
reduce hospitalisations among patients who have had a recent exacerbation (≤ 4 weeks from prior hospitalisation) (1,2)
interventional therapy
surgical
lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS)
bullectomy
lung transplantation have all been used to treat patients with COPD
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