ABSTRACT
This chapter concentrates on the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as this is much the commonest cause of severe chronic respiratory disability. Palliative medicine is concerned with the treatment of patients with disease that is progressive, active, far advanced and with a limited prognosis. Patients with severe COPD fall into this category. Most of those who have developed markedly low oxygen levels (hypoxia) will be dead within 3 years if not given long-term oxygen.1
