31 Oxygen therapy should be titrated to achieve oxyhaemoglobin saturation (SpO2) between 88 and 92%,31 and is usually administered via nasal prongs or a venturi mask. Oxygen can also be delivered using high flow nasal cannulae, which may better buy Dasatinib meet the

inspiratory flow demands of severely dyspnoeic patients and is more tolerable than a face mask. Such systems can also provide humidification, which may be important to prevent sputum retention in patients with excess secretions; however, there is no evidence to guide practice in this area. Non-invasive ventilation is highly effective as a supportive therapy for people with AECOPD complicated by type-II respiratory failure. It unloads the respiratory muscles, restores acid-base balance and provides time for pharmaceutical therapies to be effective. A systematic review and meta-analysis showed that in patients with COPD and acute hypercapnic respiratory failure (PaCO2 > 45 mmHg, pH < 7.35), non-invasive ventilation reduced mortality compared to usual care

(RR 0.52, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.76) and reduced the need for intubation selleck chemical (RR 0.41, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.53).32 There are also benefits for the health system, with reduced length of stay in those treated with non-invasive ventilation (MD – 3.24 days, 95% CI –4.41 to –2.06).32 Physiotherapists are frequently involved in the delivery of non-invasive ventilation, including assessment and referral of appropriate patients, establishing patients on treatment, titration of pressures, optimising patient

3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase tolerance and monitoring treatment effects.33 Non-invasive ventilation may assist in delivery of other physiotherapy treatments such as early mobilisation. In a group of hospitalised patients who were recovering from acute-on-chronic respiratory failure, most of whom had COPD, the use of non-invasive ventilation and oxygen during walking resulted in clinically significant improvements in walking distance, oxyhaemoglobin saturation and exercise-induced dyspnoea compared to walking on oxygen alone.34 Non-invasive ventilation also improved endurance time for unsupported upper limb exercise. These results were obtained from patients who were as early as 2 days into their hospital admission, using inspiratory positive airway pressure ranging from 15 to 18 cmH2O and expiratory positive airway pressure ranging from 4 to 5 cmH2O. Physiotherapists frequently use breathing exercises to relieve dyspnoea, improve thoraco-abdominal co-ordination and enhance functional capacity in people with acute exacerbations of COPD. Commonly used techniques include breathing control (also known as diaphragmatic or abdominal breathing) and pursed lip breathing (gentle exhalation through lips that are pressed together).