COPD statistics and guidelines

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released The COPD snapshot which is a useful summary of the latest statistics available on COPD in Australia.  It shows that fewer Australians are dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and deaths have dropped more significantly among men than women. 

Meanwhile, the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and The Australian Lung Foundation have just released the COPD-X Guidelines, which aim to effect changes in clinical practice based on sound evidence; and shift the emphasis from a predominant reliance on pharmacological treatment of COPD to a range of interventions which include patient education, self-management of exacerbations and pulmonary rehabilitation.