Highlights Report: COPD

Download the Highlights Report for a national summary of key findings from the Altas Focus Report: COPD.

This six-page Highlights Report provides a national summary of the key findings and recommended actions from the online interactive Atlas Focus Report: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), including trend data from across Australia for spirometry and triple therapy.

Released by the Commission on 25 June 2025.

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Highlights Report: COPD

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Atlas Focus Report: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Publication year

2025

Resource type

Fact sheet or brochure

References

Toelle BG, Xuan W, Bird TE, Abramson MJ, Atkinson DN, Burton DL, et al. Respiratory symptoms and illness in older Australians: the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study. Med J Aust. 2013 Feb 18;198(3):144-148.
Petrie K, Toelle BG, Wood-Baker R, Maguire GP, James AL, Hunter M, et al. Undiagnosed and Misdiagnosed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Data from the BOLD Australia Study. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2021;16:467-475.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Deaths in Australia [Internet]. Canberra: AIHW; 2025. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/life-expectancy-deaths/deaths-in-austra… (accessed May 2025).
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [Internet]. AIHW, 2024. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-respiratory-conditions/copd (accessed May 2025).
Yang I, George J, McDonald C, McDonald V, Ordman R, Goodwin A, et al. The COPD-X plan: Australian and New Zealand guidelines for the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2024. Version 2.75. [Internet]. Brisbane: Lung Foundation Australia; 2024. https://copdx.org.au/copd-x-plan (accessed May 2025).
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Clinical Care Standard. Sydney: ACSQHC; 2024. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-clinical-care-standard.
Lim R, Smith T, Usherwood T. Barriers to spirometry in Australian general practice: a systematic review. Australian Journal of General Practice 52(9): 585–93. 2023.
Perret J, Yip SWS, Idrose NS, Hancock K, Abramson MJ, Dharmage SC, et al. Undiagnosed and 'overdiagnosed' COPD using postbronchodilator spirometry in primary healthcare settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open Respir Res. 2023 Apr;10(1).
Borg BM, Osadnik C, Adam K, Chapman DG, Farrow CE, Glavas V, et al. Pulmonary function testing during SARS-CoV-2: An ANZSRS/TSANZ position statement. Respirology. 2022 Sep;27(9):688-719.
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Lung Foundation Australia. Transforming the agenda for COPD: A path towards prevention and lifelong lung health - Lung Foundation Australia’s Blueprint for Action on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) 2022-2025. Milton, Queensland: Lung Foundation Australia. 2022.
Atlas Focus Report COPD Topic Expert Group. 2025.
Quint JK, Ariel A, Barnes PJ. Rational use of inhaled corticosteroids for the treatment of COPD. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med. 2023 Jul 24;33(1):27.
Miravitlles M, Auladell-Rispau A, Monteagudo M, Vazquez-Niebla JC, Mohammed J, Nunez A, et al. Systematic review on long-term adverse effects of inhaled corticosteroids in the treatment of COPD. Eur Respir Rev. 2021 Jun 30;30(160).
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits - summary of changes effective 1 June 2018. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, 2018. https://www.pbs.gov.au/publication/schedule/2018/06/2018-06-01-general-… (accessed May 2025).
Harrison A, Borg B, Thompson B, Hew M, E D. Inappropriate inhaled corticosteroid prescribing in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Intern Med J 2017;47(11):1310–1313. 2017.
Personal communication from state/territory health department. 2025.
Cataldo D, Derom E, Liistro G, Marchand E, Ninane V, Peche R, et al. Overuse of inhaled corticosteroids in COPD: five questions for withdrawal in daily practice. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2018;13:2089-2099.
Liang J, Abramson MJ, Zwar NA, Russell GM, Holland AE, Bonevski B, et al. Diagnosing COPD and supporting smoking cessation in general practice: evidence-practice gaps. Med J Aust. 2018 Jan 15;208(1):29-34.
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Bhatt SP, Blauer-Peterson C, Buysman EK, Bengtson LGS, Palli SR. Trends and Characteristics of Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease Guidelines-Discordant Prescribing of Triple Therapy Among Patients with COPD. Chronic Obstr Pulm Dis. 2022 Apr 29;9(2):135-153.

Topics

Health conditions, diseases and treatments

Healthcare variation

Primary care