Dyspnea in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Expert Assessment of Management in Clinical Practice

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a multifaceted lung condition characterized by persistent airflow limitation that leads to chronic symptoms, including dyspnea, cough, and exacerbations. To date, a major focus for the assessment and management of COPD has been on mitigating exacerbations. However, dyspnea is the most common symptom of COPD and is responsible for substantial negative effects on patients' quality of life. Dyspnea is also a substantial contributor to the symptoms associated with acute exacerbations in COPD. Though a portion of the current recommendations for the assessment and management of COPD are dedicated to dyspnea treatment intervention strategies, there remains a need for improvement in communication between healthcare practitioners and their patients regarding the understanding of dyspnea and the implementation of key nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatment options. This clinical commentary outlines practical considerations and recommendations for the real-world assessment and management of dyspnea in COPD, including underlying causes, patient and healthcare provider dialogue, measurement of severity, and management strategies.