The COPD review – taking a holistic approach in primary care

Chronic obstructive airways disease (COPD) is a condition which carries significant morbidity and mortality, particularly for people at the more severe end of the spectrum.¹ Once the diagnosis has been made, people will be monitored for any worsening of symptoms, deterioration in lung function, and increased frequency of exacerbations. However, there is another key risk for people with COPD, especially as the disease becomes more severe, and that is the potential for weight loss, malnutrition and cachexia.² With the focus on COPD being mainly on pulmonary rehabilitation, smoking cessation and inhaled therapy, it’s easy to overlook the fact that at least a fifth of people with COPD are at risk of suffering from malnutrition.³