Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive, largely irreversible lung condition characterised by airflow obstruction. Although cigarette smoking is the single most important risk factor in its development, other associations and risk factors are thought to have increasing relevance throughout the world. COPD is usually managed in primary care, although it is commonly under-diagnosed, and is one of the most common medical conditions necessitating admission to hospital. The second edition of the ABC of COPD provides the entire multidisciplinary team with a reliable, up-to-date and accessible account of COPD. Extensively updated by experienced clinicians - including new chapters on spirometry, inhalers, oxygen, death, dying and end of life issues - this ABC is an authoritative and practical guide for general practitioners, practice nurses, specialist nurses, medical students, paramedical staff, junior doctors, non-specialist doctors and all other health professionals working in both primary and secondary care.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive,largely irreversible lung condition characterised by airflowobstruction. Although cigarette smoking is the single mostimportant risk factor in its development, other associations andrisk factors are thought to have increasing relevance throughoutthe world. COPD is usually managed in primary care, although it iscommonly under-diagnosed, and is one of the most common medicalconditions necessitating admission to hospital.The second edition of the ABC of COPD provides the entiremultidisciplinary team with a reliable, up-to-date and accessibleaccount of COPD. Extensively updated by experienced clinicians -including new chapters on spirometry, inhalers, oxygen, death,dying and end of life issues - this ABC is an authoritativeand practical guide for general practitioners, practice nurses,specialist nurses, medical students, paramedical staff, juniordoctors, non-specialist doctors and all other health professionalsworking in both primary and secondary care.

Contributors viiForeword viiiPeter J. Barnes1 Definition Epidemiology and Risk Factors 1Graham S. Devereux2 Pathology and Pathogenesis 6William MacNee3 Diagnosis 12Graeme P. Currie and Mahendran Chetty4 Spirometry 17David Bellamy5 Smoking Cessation 22John Britton6 Non-pharmacological Management 26Graeme P. Currie and Graham Douglas7 Pharmacological Management (I) - Inhaled Treatment 32Graeme P. Currie and Brian J. Lipworth8 Pharmacological Management (II) - Oral Treatment 38Graeme P. Currie and Brian J. Lipworth9 Inhalers 43Graeme P. Currie and Graham Douglas10 Oxygen 49Graham Douglas and Graeme P. Currie11 Exacerbations 53Graeme P. Currie and Jadwiga A. Wedzicha12 Non-invasive Ventilation 59Paul K. Plant and Graeme P. Currie13 Primary Care 64Cathy Jackson14 Death Dying and End-of-Life Issues 68Gordon Linklater15 Future Treatments 72Peter J. BarnesIndex 7