Perioperative medicine & anaesthesia · UKMLA & AKT
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
A free high-yield preview for the UKMLA Applied Knowledge Test, covering how to recognise this condition. The full SA Note notes add investigations, management and complications, with practice questions on this topic.
Key high-yield points
- Gold standard: post-bronchodilator spirometry - FEV1/FVC <0.7 confirms obstruction; FEV1 % predicted grades severity (GOLD 1-4)
- CXR features (highly suggestive but not diagnostic alone):
- Hyperinflation (>6 anterior ribs visible above diaphragm)
- Flattened, depressed hemidiaphragms
- Hyperlucent lung fields (reduced vascular markings)
- Narrow cardiac silhouette; bullae may be visible
CXR findings are highly suggestive of COPD but spirometry is still required to confirm the diagnosis.
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