My name is Russell Winwood; I’m 59 years old and have been living with severe COPD for the past 14 years. Nowadays I live very well with my COPD, but it hasn’t always been like this. My journey to this point has had its ups and downs; however, I have learnt that every step has been an opportunity to learn more about my disease. My breathless journey started when I was diagnosed with asthma at the age of 10. So, it’s fair to say I have had a lifetime of experience of not being able to breathe like most people do
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a preventable and treatable condition that remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The impact on patients, families and healthcare systems is huge, yet many exacerbations, hospitalisations and disease progression can be prevented if the fundamentals of care are delivered consistently, including early and accurate diagnosis.
Winter brings predictable surges in respiratory illness and pressure across urgent and emergency care. This paper sets out a practical, primary care-led framework to reduce avoidable demand by acting earlier on respiratory risk. We describe seven interventions:
Point-of-care testing of C-reactive protein (CRP) for the acute assessment of worsening symptoms in people known to have COPD can safely reduce the use of antibiotics and could help improve the diagnostic approach towards someone presenting in such a crisis. New high-quality evidence has emerged since the last NICE COPD update and we encourage re-opening and review of the current guideline to enable clinicians and system leaders to understand whether and how to implement this promising diagnostic aid.PCRS advocates that:
The COPD risk slider supports the initiation of a conversation with your patients about their COPD and to identify any potential risk of exacerbation or worsening of symptoms.
Spirometry should be delivered and technically reported by registered healthcare professionals with an appropriate level of expertise and experience.
Breathlessness is a common presenting symptom in primary care, and there are many causes.Early and accurate diagnosis is critical to ensuring patients receive the right treatment at the earliest opportunity.