Outpatient Care for Patients with Chronic Airway Obstruction - Emphysema and Bronchitis

¹ Department of Medicine, Respiratory Care Unit, University of Colorado Medical Center, Denver

An immense number of patients with symptomatic chronic airway obstruction exist today. All of the factors of causation may not be known and certainly everything about progression of disease and management is not known. Nonetheless, studies cited within this paper indicate that very much can be done for the patient from the standpoint of symptomatic benefit, sometimes with return to work and in selected patients with cor pulmonale, a definite alteration in mortality may be achieved. Chronic airway obstruction is a chronic progressive disease complicated by psychosocial and economic problems. It seems axiomatic, therefore, to develop a practical plan of management which can largely be outpatient and home-based.