BackgroundThere is a lack of data on the impact of COPD on individuals, their illness, behavior and attitude to the disease.Method500 UK patients with a primary care diagnosis of COPD responded to an online survey.Results61.2% of respondents were female and 85.8% were between 50 and 80 years old. Two-thirds (67.8%) of respondents did not smoke at the time of the survey. Almost half of those surveyed (46.2%, n=231) used three inhalers, and 31% (n=155) agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I feel that my treatment is not adequately controlling my condition”, while 39.4% (n=197) disagreed or strongly disagreed. 48.8% (n=244) agreed their COPD was well managed. Over half the sample (56.8%, n=284) said they never forgot to use their inhaler as prescribed. Checks on inhaler use by doctors or nurses were reported as every six months/twice a year by 24.4% (n=122) and once a year by 38.8% (n=194). However, 17.2% (n=86) said their technique had never been checked, and at their last annual review, a third (33.2%, n=166) did not receive inhaler technique advice. Exacerbations were reported to affect an average of 7.4 days a year. They led to time in hospital, time off work and significantly affected quality of life. Patients reported that their COPD affected all aspects of their daily lives to a greater or lesser extent, with some living in fear of what the impact of the next flare-up could bring.ConclusionCOPD impairs people’s ability to carry out daily tasks, leads to hospital admission, time off work and even unemployment. Respondents reported stress, worry and depression or low mood because of their COPD. This study highlights areas of concern for patients not being addressed by health care practitioners, including: pulmonary rehabilitation referral, better information giving and medicines optimization.
In the continuation phase of treatment for acute mania, knowledge of the natural duration of an untreated episode and the recognition of mixed states are key issues. Steve Titmarsh reports on Professor Allan Young's lecture on this important topic given at a satellite symposium organised by Lundbeck at the 12th Latest Advances in Psychiatry meeting in London in March.
Bipolar disorder is complex and challenging to diagnose. As a result the disorder is under‐recognised and undertreated, commented Professor Allan Young, Chair of Psychiatry at Imperial College London, speaking at a satellite meeting organised by AstraZeneca during the Latest Advances in Psychiatry Symposium XI in March. A more holistic approach to managing bipolar disorder and recognition that the illness is probably more common than official statistics suggest could lessen the burden considerably. Steve Titmarsh reports.
Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) present a growing threat – a number of species are drug resistant and little is understood about how and where infection with these organisms occurs. A meeting organised by Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and sponsored by Insmed Inc, was held in London in March to consider the state of the art in diagnosis and treatment of NTM pulmonary disease.
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