Physical diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Among the various diagnostic strategies of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), physical diagnosis is the quickest and requires no extra cost. Rapid physical diagnosis of COPD in primary care practice can lead to earlier actions of preventive measures and counseling for patients. Further, rapid physical diagnosis of COPD in an emergency department is also crucial for timely use of potentially lifesaving therapy specific for COPD patients. In this review, we will present a broad scope of physical findings for rapid physical diagnosis of COPD.
Department of Medicine, St. Luke's International Hospital, Tokyo. tokuyasu@orange.ocn.ne.jp
Yasuharu
Y
Tokuda
Seishirou
S
Miyagi
D001314:Auscultation; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006801:Humans; D010173:Palpation; D010474:Percussion; D010808:Physical Examination; D011320:Primary Health Care; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis*