Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (cont.)

Medical Treatment

The 3 major goals of the comprehensive treatment of COPD are as follows:

• Lessen airflow limitation
  
  
• Prevent and treat secondary medical complications (eg, hypoxemia, infection)
  
  
• Decrease respiratory symptoms and improve quality of life

Acute exacerbation of COPD is one of the major reasons for hospital admission in the United States.

You may need to be hospitalized if you develop severe respiratory dysfunction, if your disease progresses, or if you have other serious respiratory diseases (eg, pneumonia, acute bronchitis). The purpose of hospitalization is to treat symptoms and to prevent further deterioration.

You may be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) if you require invasive or noninvasive mechanical ventilation or if you have the following symptoms:

• Confusion
  
  
• Lethargy
  
  
• Respiratory muscle fatigue
  
  
• Worsening hypoxemia (not enough oxygen in the blood)
  
  
• Respiratory acidosis (retention of carbon dioxide in the blood)