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About one in 13 Australians over the age of 40 years is estimated to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In 2018, COPD was the leading cause of potentially preventable hospitalisations, the third leading specific cause of total disease burden, and the fifth leading cause of death in Australia. This represents a significant burden in the lives of individuals living with COPD and within the Australian health care system. Importantly, the impact of COPD is even greater among Indigenous Australians compared with non‐Indigenous Australians.

COPD‐X was first published as a supplement to The Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) in 2003, and a major update was then published in the MJA in 2017. The guidelines are written by a multidisciplinary group of Australian clinicians and strive to provide evidence‐based recommendations relevant for Australian health care workers. The guidelines are updated quarterly, published by the Lung Foundation Australia in conjunction with the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand. They emphasise the importance of non‐pharmacological therapy for the management of COPD and promote the concept of “stepwise management”, beginning with one pharmacological intervention and evaluating response before adding another agent. The guidelines aspire to standardise COPD care, optimise health outcomes, and enhance the quality of life of people with COPD.

This MJA guideline summary shares more.

Details

• Explain key components of the guideline.
• List main recommendations.
• Recognise changes in management as a result of the guideline.

Authors: Eli Dabscheck, Johnson George, Kelcie Hermann, Christine F McDonald, Vanessa M McDonald, Renae McNamara, Mearon O’Brien, Brian Smith, Nicholas A Zwar and Ian A Yang

Article Type: Guideline summary