This Australian and New Zealand guideline seeks to summarise current evidence around diagnosis and optimal management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), to improve quality of life and reduce morbidity and mortality amongst people living with COPD.
It is intended to be a decision support aid for general practitioners, other primary health care clinicians, hospital-based clinicians and specialists working in respiratory health. Published evidence is systematically searched for, identified, and reviewed on a regular basis. The National COPD Guidelines Committee meets at least four times a year and determines whether the reviewed evidence warrants incorporation into the guideline.
The key recommendations and evidence synthesis are presented in the following sections:
- Case finding and confirm diagnosis
- Optimise function
- Prevent deterioration
- Develop a plan of care
- Manage exacerbations.
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