Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects millions of people across the world. COPD is not only a major burden to patients but is also costly and results in billions of dollars of direct and indirect costs annually. In recent years and with advancement of science, the understanding of COPD has improved significantly. Fortunately, current management guidelines consider COPD a preventable and treatable condition, and recent studies clearly indicate that available pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions may improve various clinical outcomes. COPD: A Guide to Diagnosis and Clinical Management offers an exciting, evidence-based assessment of the field and will be of significant interest to clinicians who care for patients with COPD, including primary care providers and specialists. Comprehensive and state-of-the-art, this title is authored by experts who took the task of developing a resource that focuses on the essential issues in caring for patients with COPD. The first four chapters of the book cover major points about the systemic nature of COPD, the clinical and physiological assessments, and the outcome measures and prognostic markers. In the following section, various pharmacologic and non-pharmacological management strategies are reviewed based on the available evidence. The final sections outline the non-pulmonary effects of COPD and their management. COPD: A Guide to Diagnosis and Clinical Management is a vital, evidence-based text that will prove invaluable for all clinicians who care for patients with this debilitating disorder.weiterlesen