TY  - JOUR
T1  - CAring for the older person with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
AU  - Fried TR, Fragoso C, Rabow MW
Y1  - 2012/09/26
N1  - 10.1001/jama.2012.12422
JO  - JAMA
SP  - 1254
EP  - 1263
VL  - 308
IS  - 12
N2  - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a common disease in elderly patients, is characterized by high symptom burden, health care utilization, mortality, and unmet needs of patients and caregivers. Respiratory failure and dyspnea may be exacerbated by heart failure, pulmonary embolism, and anxiety; by medication effects; and by other conditions, including deconditioning and malnutrition. Randomized controlled trials, which provide the strongest evidence for guideline recommendations, may underestimate the risk of adverse effects of interventions for older patients with COPD. The focus of guidelines on disease-modifying therapies may not address the full spectrum of patient and caregiver needs, particularly the high rates of bothersome symptoms, risk of functional and cognitive decline, and need for end-of-life care planning. Meeting the many needs of older patients with COPD and their families requires that clinicians supplement guideline-recommended care with treatment decision making that takes into account older persons' comorbid conditions, recognizes the trade-offs engendered by the increased risk of adverse events, focuses on symptom relief and function, and prepares patients and their loved ones for further declines in the patient's health and their end-of-life care. A case of COPD in an 81-year-old man hospitalized with severe dyspnea and respiratory failure highlights both the challenges in managing COPD in the elderly and the limitations in applying guidelines to geriatric patients.
SN  - 0098-7484
M3  - doi: 10.1001/jama.2012.12422
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.12422
ER  -