• Liam O'Halloran, Amy Purcell, Eoin Ryan, Jane O'Doherty, Louise Troddyn, Martin Slepanek, Neil O'Driscoll, Orlaith O'Reilly, Paul Stassen, Sarah Anne Bennett, and Raymond O'Connor.
• Mid-West Specialist Training Programme in General Practice, University of Limerick, Plassey, Limerick, Ireland. liamoh@gmail.com.
• Ir J Med Sci. 2021 Aug 1; 190 (3): 1055-1061.

BackgroundChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death and disability. Its diagnosis, classification and management are complex. There is a paucity of data on the standard of COPD management in Irish general practice.AimsWe studied whether COPD diagnosis and management was in accordance with the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines. We investigated if patients who were smokers had received smoking cessation advice. We examined whether influenza and pneumococcal vaccination had been given.MethodsTen general practices affiliated with the Irish Mid-West Specialist Training Programme in General Practice (GP) were searched, to determine which patients had a diagnosis of COPD. A data-collection audit tool was developed using GOLD 2019 guidelines. Results were tabulated in SPSS. Descriptive statistics were used.ResultsOf 482 patients studied, 91.7% were eligible for free GP care. In 49.4%, the diagnosis of COPD had been made appropriately. In 56.2%, there was no evidence that the stage of COPD had been formally assessed. Of the patients studied, 33.2% were deemed to be receiving appropriate therapy. Smoking status was documented in 99.6% of cases studied and 59.9% were ex-smokers, while 25.9% were current smokers. Appropriate smoking cessation advice had been offered to 71% of eligible patients. Influenza vaccine had been given to 66.2% in the previous 12 months. A total of 53.9% had ever received pneumococcal vaccination.ConclusionsThis study provides a comprehensive snapshot of care in Irish general practice for patients with COPD prior to introduction of the Chronic Disease Management programme (CDM).© 2020. Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland.

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