Nutritional status and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

This article explores the importance of an adequate diet for the health of the chronic respiratory patient. Poor nutrition can exacerbate or even cause respiratory symptoms. Therefore, both specialist and generalist nurses need to increase professional nutritional knowledge to address and co-ordinate nutritional aspects of care for patients and their carers. Next week, we will publish the results of a research project conducted by the author to examine the effect of specialist nurse intervention through nutritional education with these patients.