NICE guidelines: the management, treatment and care of COPD.

Over a year ago the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) commissioned national guidelines for managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in both primary and secondary care. The resulting guidelines published earlier this year are the result of a systematic review of the evidence in the published literature and where this has not been available expert opinion has informed recommendations. The document makes over 200 recommendations for practice with seven key areas where it was felt that implementation of the recommendations would have the largest impact on the management of COPD. The result is a comprehensive document concentrating on the health aspects of COPD and the following article looks at the guidelines and concentrates on the seven priority areas.