Today is World COPD Day

Today is World COPD Day, an annual campaign organised by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease GOLD), to improve awareness and care of patients with COPD around the world.

Why not use this awareness day to download these PCRS-UK resources to refresh your knowledge to ensure you are providing optimum care for your COPD patients:

‘Treatment guidelines for COPD – going for GOLD?’

• This is a consensus based article published in Autumn issue of Primary Care Respiratory Update, that sets out a simple treatment pathway based on the predominant characteristics of COPD for an individual – whether symptoms or exacerbations. It is distilled from the current NICE guideline (CG101) published in 2010, which only includes evidence up to 2009, and does not cover some of the new drug classes which have been introduced since then and the global GOLD guidelines (which are based on a consensus of expert opinion) and are updated more frequently and adopt a different approach to making management decisions. 

PCRS-UK Policy Lead Duncan Keeley, says: ‘This article describes and assesses the similarities and differences between the two guidelines and suggests a practical approach to making management decisions in primary care. Do read this article to see whether you find it helpful - we think you will.’

PCRS-UK Vice Chair Carol Stonham, says: ‘Understanding how and why there is a difference between NICE and the recent GOLD guidelines will give clinicians a clearer grasp on treatment options for patients with COPD, and the treatment pathway will simplify prescribing decisions improving safer patient care.

You can download the article HERE  

Self-management: Use of rescue medication for COPD.

• This article, which featured in the Summer 2016 issue of Primary Care Respiratory Update discusses the use of rescue medication, assessing patients for suitability and other key factors and top tips on the decision to prescribe and use rescue medication in COPD. Download the article HERE