Patient education: COPD exacerbation – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is a COPD exacerbation? — COPD stands for "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease." It is a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe (figure 1).

An "exacerbation" is when COPD symptoms flare up or get worse. These symptoms can include:

●Feeling short of breath, especially when moving around

●Coughing up more sputum (mucus) than usual, or thicker sputum

●A change in color of the sputum you cough up, for example, yellow or green

Exacerbations are often caused by an infection, like the common cold, the flu, or COVID-19.

How do I care for myself at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

You should also:

●Quit smoking, if you smoke. Your doctor or nurse can help you.

●Stay away from smoke-filled places. Avoid other things that might cause breathing problems like fumes, pollution, and dust.

●Carry your inhaler with you all of the time, if you have one. Use your inhaler when you need to. Take all of your other medicines as directed, too.

●Finish all of your antibiotics, if you were prescribed them. It's important to take them exactly as instructed, even if you start to feel better.

●Make sure that you know how and when to use extra oxygen, if you were prescribed it.

What follow-up care do I need? — Your doctor will tell you when to return for a follow-up appointment. They will often want to see you again in about 4 weeks.

Your doctor might also refer you for "pulmonary rehab" once you are feeling better. Pulmonary rehab is a program that includes education, exercise, and healthy lifestyle changes. It can help people with COPD feel better and lower the risk of future exacerbations.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for an ambulance right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if:

●You are having trouble breathing, even when you are resting.

●You are coughing up blood.

●You have signs of a heart attack, such as:

•Severe chest pain, pressure, or discomfort with:

-Breathing trouble, sweating, upset stomach, or cold clammy skin

-Pain in your arms, back, or jaw

-Worse pain with activity like walking up stairs

•Fast or irregular heartbeat

•Feeling dizzy, faint, or weak

Call your doctor for advice if:

●You have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills.

●You are feeling weak or more short of breath than usual when doing your normal activities.

●You have new or worsening cough, sputum, or shortness of breath.

More on this topic

Patient education: COPD exacerbation (The Basics)
Patient education: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (The Basics)
Patient education: Medicines for COPD (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use your dry powder inhaler (adults) (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use your metered dose inhaler (adults) (The Basics)
Patient education: Quitting smoking (The Basics)
Patient education: Cough in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Breathing tests (The Basics)

Patient education: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatments (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Supplemental oxygen on commercial airlines (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Quitting smoking (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Chronic cough in adults (Beyond the Basics)