By the time you reach this stage, the quality of life you experience is greatly impaired, and the COPD exacerbations are fatal. Also referred to as the end stage of COPD, stage 4 is characterized by severe airflow limitation and FEVI is less that 30% while the FEVI/FVC is less than 70%. At this stage, chronic respiratory failure is present and can lead to possible heart complications like cor pulmonale and/or eventually death.
When you are diagnosed with stage 4 COPD, it is easy to fall into depression as you fear for the worst. While COPD is not anything anyone would wish on themselves, regardless of the stage, learning that you may be living in your final life stage can be frightening. It is, therefore, very important for you to learn thatthere are certain things one can do to prolong life and hence, take away the fear associated with stage 4 of COPD.