COPD Exacerbation: Assessment and Care

Clinicians compare your current breathing with your personal baseline. An exacerbation may involve increased breathlessness, a more frequent cough, extra phlegm or a change in phlegm, with wheeze or chest tightness in some people. A clinician may check your breathing rate, pulse, temperature, oxygen level and chest sounds, while considering infection, heart disease or another explanation. The term describes a change in symptoms; it does not by itself identify the trigger.

Use your prescribed inhalers and any written rescue plan exactly as discussed. Contact your usual healthcare service when symptoms are clearly outside your baseline, particularly if you are producing more or differently coloured phlegm. Keep taking regular medicines unless a clinician tells you otherwise, and avoid smoke and respiratory irritants. A follow-up review can check inhaler technique, activity recovery and whether your long-term plan needs updating. Spirometry is generally considered when you are clinically stable rather than during a severe flare.

Use emergency services for severe breathlessness, blue or grey lips, confusion, collapse, inability to speak comfortably or severe chest pain. Seek urgent assessment for a rapid deterioration, fever with worsening breathing, blood in phlegm or poor response to your prescribed reliever. Do not wait for a routine review when symptoms are escalating.

Ask how your current symptoms compare with your baseline, whether infection or another problem is suspected, and how to follow your action plan next time. Confirm when to arrange a Chronic Disease Review, when spirometry should be repeated or performed, and whether smoking cessation support could help.