Fast Facts: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous collection of respiratory syndromes with overlapping manifestations. As well as the characteristic shortness of breath, the disease is associated with a number of comorbidities that can present major clinical problems for the individual. This fully updated second edition of Fast Facts: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease offers a concise and expert review of:- the disease process, its causes and progression- diagnostic techniques, including lung function tests and imaging- differential diagnoses- the main clinical features, systemic effects and comorbidities- current treatments to reduce symptoms and improve lung function in stable disease- the prevention and management of acute exacerbations- the latest clinical trial results, supporting aggressive therapy to reduce lung function decline- risk factor reduction, primarily through smoking cessation- future diagnostic and therapeutic developmentsFast Facts: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is an invaluable resource for all healthcare professionals, full of practical information on the early recognition, stabilization and successful management of this multifaceted disease