COPD and anxiety: its impact on patients' lives.

Background: Anxiety is a common comorbidity in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but its identification and management are often insufficient.

Aim: To explore the experience of living with and managing comorbid anxiety and COPD from a patient's perspective.

Method: The study followed a qualitative approach. In-depth interviews were carried out with 14 patients who had COPD.

Results: Participants believed anxiety had a significant impact on their quality of life. It made them feel isolated and caused them to avoid social occasions and daily activities. Identifying anxiety was a challenge because of the overlap in the symptoms of anxiety and those of COPD, and the side-effects of medication.

Conclusion: Nurses can play a vital role in screening and managing anxiety, and educating people in strategies to prevent episodes of panic.