What this Trial Is About

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease characterized by persistent airflow obstruction and chronic respiratory symptoms or alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency in response to inhaled cigarette smoke or other irritants. The excessive morbidity and mortality associated with COPD acute exacerbations represent a significant public health problem that places a high burden on patients, their families and society. In frequent and severe exacerbations, patients may experience a decrease in quality of life, depression, and even death up to one year after hospitalization. Costs associated with COPD are more than $15.5 billion, and hospitalizations and repeated hospital admissions related to acute exacerbations alone account for 70% of all costs. For these reasons, efforts to reduce hospital admissions and hospitalizations associated with recurrent exacerbations are imperative to improve patient's quality of life and reduce the societal burden.

Reducing the Number of Hospital Admissions With Multiple Nursing Interventions in COPD Patients Using Oxygen Concentrators at Home