title: Management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Australia after the publication of national guidelines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Information on the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Australia, especially the extent of adherence to the COPD-X Plan, is sparse.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate COPD patient adherence to treatment recommendations and healthcare provider adherence to the COPD-X Plan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of patients admitted to a secondary care hospital with an acute exacerbation of COPD over a 6-month period. Data were collected from patient interviews and medical notes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants (n= 45) aged 72 ± 11.5 years (mean ± SD) had a mean FEV(1) % predicted 52.2 ± 18.7. At the time 11 (24.4%) patients continued to smoke; 25 (55.6%) had never participated in a pulmonary rehabilitation programme; and 23 (51.1%) self-reported poor adherence to some COPD medications. Inhaler technique was deemed suboptimal in 25 (55.6%) patients. Only 11 (24.4%) patients had received any instructions from their doctor regarding management of exacerbations. The use of medications not supported by the COPD-X guidelines were: long-term prednisolone (11, 24.4%) and prophylactic antibiotics (3, 6.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Management of COPD in Australia by both patients and providers remains suboptimal despite the publication and wide dissemination of the COPD-X Plan, suggesting the need to intensify both patient and provider education in COPD management.
authors.affiliation: Southern Health Pharmacy Department, Casey Hospital and Department of Pharmacy Practice, Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. mai.ngoc@southernhealth.org.au
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ta
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*