American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Practice Exam

A patient diagnosed with COPD wishes to improve their health-related quality of life. Which intervention is best?

1. Home oxygen therapy

2. Outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation

3. Stay indoors during winter

4. Take additional bronchodilators

The correct answer is: Outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation

Outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation is the best intervention for a patient with COPD seeking to improve their health-related quality of life. This program typically includes tailored exercise training, education about the disease, nutritional advice, and psychosocial support. Engaging in pulmonary rehabilitation has been shown to enhance exercise tolerance, reduce symptoms of breathlessness, and ultimately improve the overall quality of life for individuals with COPD. While home oxygen therapy is beneficial for patients with significant hypoxemia, it's generally prescribed when specific oxygen saturation criteria are met, and may not directly enhance quality of life in all patients. Staying indoors during winter can limit exposure to cold weather, but it does not address the broader concerns associated with COPD management. Taking additional bronchodilators can certainly be useful in symptom management, but without comprehensive rehabilitation, it might not improve the overall quality of life as effectively as pulmonary rehabilitation does. Thus, outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation stands out as the most comprehensive and holistic approach to improving health-related quality of life in patients with COPD.