Activities of life: the COPD patient

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic, progressive and debilitating disease. With worsening disease, a COPD patient will progressively become less physically active, will have reduced social contacts, and this will create a downward vicious circle. This review discusses the significant sequelae of physical inactivity in the COPD patient, approaches to assessment and management, and the impact of COPD exacerbations on the activities of daily life. Patients with COPD are markedly inactive in daily life. Referral to pulmonary rehabilitation and self-management education to promote increase physical activities should be an important part of the management of COPD. Acute exacerbations in COPD patients are severely distressing events that impact greatly on health status, loss of symptom control and functional state with limitation on activities of daily living. If we are to progress in the treatment of acute exacerbation of COPD, it is evident that the effects of interventions on activities of daily living should be considered as an essential component of our goal of treatment.