New COPD guidelines include self-management
16 May 2003
New clinical guidelines for management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been released by the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and the Australian Lung Foundation.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term (chronic) condition that blocks the airways in the lungs. Often the term COPD is used to describe chronic bronchitis and emphysema, 2 progressive lung diseases which can occur by themselves or together. The most common form of COPD is a combination of the 2 conditions.
One of 5 main areas covered in the new guidelines involves the development of an adequate support network and a self-management plan for someone who has COPD.
The self-management aspect recommends that selected people with COPD be educated in self management of their illness.
The concept is drawn from the success of self-management plans in people with asthma.
This approach involves a written plan of instructions developed by a person's GP or respiratory specialist indicating the medications that should be taken during stable times and what medications to start during a time of worsening COPD, including for example, using a ‘crisis medication pack’ while awaiting medical review.
It is believed that selected people with COPD may benefit from the early intervention that would come from following a self-management plan, which may prevent a crisis and possibly the need for hospital admission — the traditional approach to worsening COPD.
The guidelines indicate that research is needed to establish how well self-management plans would work in people with stable COPD. However, it is believed in general that people with chronic illness who participate in self-management have better outcomes than those who do not.
Last Reviewed: 14 May 2003
