Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in over 16s: diagnosis and management

Context

British Lung Foundation statistics show that there are approximately 1.2 million people with a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the UK. Although there are 115,000 new diagnoses per year, most people with COPD are not diagnosed until they are in their fifties or older and many more people may remain undiagnosed. The UK has the 12th highest recorded deaths from COPD in the world, with an age-standardised mortality rate of 210.7 deaths per million people between 2001 and 2010.

Recently, new evidence has emerged and practice has changed in relation to the use of inhaled triple therapy and oral corticosteroids. This evidence and the changes in how care is delivered may have a significant impact on people with COPD who are still experiencing symptoms despite being prescribed triple therapy.