Symptoms of COPD are worse during the day, new research finds

A recent review published in Nature Partner Journals Primary Care Respiratory Medicine found that symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are more common, and tend to be worse, in the daytime compared to at night. Most symptoms were worse in the morning.

COPD is a lung condition. People with COPD find it harder to breathe, and may have a cough or wheezing that doesn’t go away.

This review looked at 56 studies to understand the effects of COPD at different times of the day.

Overall, the research showed that for many patients the symptoms of COPD are different throughout the day and night.

Some studies showed that this made it harder for patients to perform normal activities, such as getting out of bed or showering in the morning. People who experienced worse symptoms during the daytime were also found to be more anxious and distressed.

The researchers then looked at treatments for COPD. They found that many current treatments significantly improved the effects of COPD during the day for patients. However, this didn’t always make it easier for patients to carry out normal activities.

This research helps doctors understand how to support people with COPD to manage their symptoms throughout the day. What is needed now is more research into treatments that can help patients carry out normal activities during the day.

Read our page on living well with COPD.

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