Self-management in COPD

Patients with COPD may see a healthcare professional (HCP) briefly when attending their GP practice or accessing care emergency care. However, most of the time they are responsible for managing their own care day, in day out. Our role is to help them develop the skills to do that to improve their quality of life and reduce avoidable in-patient admissions.

After reading this article you will understand:

• The importance of self-management in COPD
• How healthcare professionals can support patients in self-management
• The role of digital tools in enhancing COPD self-management.

The importance of self-management in COPD

Self-management programmes are designed to empower people living with COPD to better manage their symptoms, maintain quality of life, and respond effectively to acute exacerbations. These programmes can be multi-faceted or focused on a specific area, such as exercise or flare-up management. Common components include:^[1]

• Education sessions – providing information about COPD, lung function, oximetry, the importance of smoking cessation, vaccination, and pulmonary rehabilitation
• Smoking cessation support – including advice, behavioural strategies, goal setting, and treatment for tobacco dependence
• Inhaler technique training – ensuring effective use of prescribed therapies.

A key challenge in COPD management is multi-morbidity, often arising from shared risk factors (e.g. smoking, inactivity), overlapping symptoms, and frequent exacerbations.^[2] This complexity reinforces the need for personalised, patient-tailored self-management approaches that consider individual characteristics, symptoms, and comorbidities.^[2]  A “treatable traits” model is recommended by Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) focusing on identifying the unique factors that drive each patient’s disease and developing an individualised management plan, rather than relying solely on standard guidelines.^[3]

Self-management interventions

Self-management interventions differ widely in content, intensity, and delivery, making it difficult to determine which techniques consistently contribute to the best outcomes.^[1] These interventions may be as simple as an information leaflet, or as comprehensive as structured education programmes incorporating action plans, exercise, and pulmonary rehabilitation.^[4]

With the NHS driving the adoption of digital technologies, COPD self-management is increasingly supported by tools such as remote monitoring, digital education, and online communication.

BreathTec: a new digital programme

BreathTec is a self-guided, interactive digital self-management programme, created by myself and Dr. Graham Burns together with patients and carers. It incorporates key elements highlighted in systematic reviews including:^[5]

• Managing physical symptoms such as breathlessness
• Supporting physical activity
• Addressing mental health and wellbeing.

Importantly, positive interactions between healthcare professionals and patients about BreathTec were observed to motivate patients, contributing to ongoing engagement with the programme.^[5]

Find out more about The BreathTec programme here.

Conclusion

Self-management interventions are effective.  Personalisation of self-management interventions in COPD are key to treat the patient, based on individual characteristics, symptoms, and comorbidities. Digital technologies such as BreathTec have great potential to support COPD patients in the self-management of their disease.

Any advice given and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the view of Chiesi Limited (Chiesi).  All content in this article is for informational and educational purposes only.  Although Chiesi strives to always provide accurate information, it is not responsible for and does not verify for accuracy any of the information contained within.

[1] Schrijver J, Lenferink A, Brusse-Keizer M, Zwerink M et al. Management interventions for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Jan 10;1

[2] Lenferink A, Brusse-Keizer MGJ, van der Palen J, Effing TW et al. Personalizing Self-Management Interventions in COPD – Looking Beyond One-Size-Fits-All et al. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2025 Jan 8;20:65-68

[3] Agusti A, Barnes N et al. Moving towards a treatable traits model. J Resp Med. 2021

[4] Watson A, Wilkinson TMA et al. Digital healthcare in COPD management: a narrative review on the advantages, pitfalls, and need for further research. Ther Adv Respir Dis. 2022

[5] Case Study – BreathTec. Available at: https://healthinnovationsouthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/publications/BreathTec-case-study-15.06.23.pdf