title: Preventing acute hypercapnic respiratory failure in COPD patients.
abstract: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at risk of developing acute hypercapnic respiratory failure (AHRF) if given high-concentration uncontrolled oxygen inappropriately. This article analyses a critical incident involving a patient who developed AHRF, and identifies areas for improvement in clinical practice that would improve the standard of care for patients with COPD.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Medicine, Mater Hospital, Belfast. dmoore20@qub.ac.uk
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000150:complications; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy