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Respiratory diseases: Guidelines and Management

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Current guidelines for the management of asthma and COPD

The purpose of clinical guidelines is to help healthcare professionals make correct decisions about the management of specific conditions. Guidelines are based on the most up to date clinical evidence and recognised best practice with advice from clinical experts in the field. In the UK clinical guidelines are produced by organisations such as National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), the royal colleges and professional organisations such as the British Thoracic Society (BTS). Given the phenomenal amount of information and research based evidence available now, it is impossible for healthcare professionals to read all of it in order to ensure their practice is up to date. Guidelines are therefore of great use to healthcare professionals as the evidence base is summarised and recommendations for practice are made for them.

This resource, which is based on typical case scenarios, is offered at an intermediate level and includes five assessment questions to support your continuing professional development.

Aims and objectives

On completion of this resource you should have an understanding of:

  • The role of clinical guidelines in the management of respiratory disease
  • The guideline-recommended management of asthma
  • The guideline-recommended management of COPD

Reading List

Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Global Strategy for the Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of COPD, 2014 www.goldcopd.org

British Thoracic Society and Scottish Intercollegiate Network (BTS/SIGN) British Guideline on the Management of Asthma, 2012 www.sign.ac.uk/pdf/sign101.pdf

Department of Health An Outcomes Strategy for COPD and Asthma: NHS Companion Document, 2012 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/an-outcomes-strategy-for-copd-and-asthma-nhs-companion-document

Date of preparation: April 2014

Review date: April 2015