Chapter 5: Diagnosis and initial treatment of asthma−COPD overlap syndrome
Key changes
• A new chapter aimed at providing interim practical advice for primary care and non-respiratory
specialists, and as a signal to regulators that evidence is needed about treatment for patients with
features of both asthma and COPD
• A syndromic approach to recognising asthma, COPD and asthma−COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS)
in primary care
• Advice about safety considerations for initial treatment
• Practical tool: a stepwise approach to diagnosis and initial treatment of ACOS
• Recommendations for future research about ACOS