[Medical decisions in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].
BACKGROUND
A right information about illness is essential if a patient has to take ethically autonomous medical decisions. We assessed whether a group o patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) had enough information about their illness to take medical decisions.


METHODS
Structured interview about disease knowledge, wills to receive medical information and to take part in medical lesions as well as opinion on advance directives.


RESULTS
Seventy-eight patients with COPD were interviewed. Ninety-two per cent of them were aware that they had a chronic illness and 63% were aware that it was an evolving disease. Fifty per cent believed they could require ICU admission, yet only 33% had knowledge of what mechanical ventilation was. A previous ICU admission and receiving home oxygen therapy were the only factors related to a better knowledge of disease. Forty-six per cent of patients interviewed felt not to be rightly informed, yet 64% of them did not wish to receive more information. Most patients would wish to have some form of future planning of their medical care in case of incompetence.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with COPD do not have enough information to take autonomous decisions. Knowledge is mainly provided by an earlier experience with illness and its complications.
Miró Andreu
G
G
Medicina Intensiva. Hospital del Mar. Barcelona.
Félez Flor
M
M
Solsona Durán
J F
JF
D000368:Aged; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation; D013030:Spain