What are the recommended first-line treatments for managing an acute exacerbation of COPD in primary care?

In primary care, the recommended first-line treatments for managing an acute exacerbation of COPD include:

• Increasing the doses or frequency of short-acting bronchodilators, using the same delivery system as usual, such as inhalers, spacers, or nebulizers, depending on the patient's ability and resources available (¹).
• Considering oral corticosteroids, specifically offering 30 mg of oral prednisolone once daily for 5 days, if there are no contraindications and the patient has a significant increase in breathlessness that interferes with daily activities (¹).