Although there is no cure for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), encouraging smoking cessation and a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological management may prevent deterioration of the condition, improve lung function and thus symptoms, and improve health status and functional ability of patients. These are attainable goals that will ultimately improve the quality of life for patients and may also decrease the healthcare costs associated with this disease.

This fully updated third edition of Fast Facts: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease offers a concise and expert review of:

* current guidelines
* the disease process, its causes and progression
* diagnostic techniques, including lung function tests and imaging
* differential diagnoses
* the main clinical features, systemic effects and comorbidities
* current treatments to reduce symptoms and improve lung function in stable disease
* the prevention and management of acute exacerbations
* the latest clinical trial results, supporting aggressive therapy to reduce lung function decline
* risk factor reduction, primarily through smoking cessation
* future diagnostic and therapeutic developments.

Intended as a practical and accessible resource for all general practitioners, practice nurses, specialist nurses, junior hospital doctors, paramedics, medical students and other allied healthcare professionals, this handbook will provide a `breath of fresh air' to the field of COPD.