Assessing Severity and Management of COPD Exacerbations

This chapter delves into determining the severity of COPD exacerbations through assessing symptoms and responsiveness to treatment, categorizing them as mild, moderate, or severe based on interventions needed. It emphasizes evaluating patients for comorbidities, risk factors, and physical exam findings to determine the urgency of treatment, including oxygen therapy, bronchodilators, steroids, and antibiotics, as well as considering non-invasive ventilation. The discussion also focuses on the use of steroids in COPD exacerbations, referencing guidelines and studies on prednisone dosing, duration of treatment, and on-demand use in specific scenarios like wildfire smoke-triggered exacerbations.