The care of advanced COPD patients

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a fourth cause of mortality worldwide. The 20% of COPD patients in Poland suffer from advanced disease. COPD usually gets gradually worse over time. In advanced COPD prognosis is bad. The main goal of management patients with advanced COPD is reducing symptoms: shortness of breath, cough, fatigue and often occurring depression and anxiety. The treatment prevents acute exacerbations of the disease. Exacerbations are the cause of the decrease of the quality of life and the risk factor of death. World Health Organization recommends in chronic diseases to integrate the action of the medical and the non-medical stuff (welfare and volunteers). Medical University of Gdansk developed ‘Pomeranian Model of Integrated Care for Patients with advanced COPD’. The main goal of it was to decrease the number of exacerbations (especially requiring the hospitalization) and in result, limit the cost of care, improve the quality of life of patients with advanced COPD and to help them to cope with disease.