Today I review, link to, and embed EM Note‘s COPD Management Pitfalls. The fastest way to review this excellent teaching video is by pulling up the individual slides on the video timeline:
0:06, 0:11, 0:24, 0:40, 3:06, 3:54, 5:31, 6:03, 6:35, 7:44, 8:10, 9:02, 9:45, 10:01, 11:29, 11:33, 12:01, 12:22
And be sure to visit and review EM Note Podcast. This is a link to the complete list of EM Note videos. There are currently 683 videos available and they are outstanding resources for all acute care clinicians including EMTs and Paramedics.
All that follows is from the above resource.
COPD Management Pitfalls
Jan 8, 2026 EMNote PodcastHomepage: EMNote.org ■ 🚩Membership: https://tinyurl.com/joinemnote 🚩ACLS Lecture: https://tinyurl.com/emnoteaclsThis lecture outlines refined clinical strategies for treating acute COPD flare-ups, emphasizing the prevention of medical errors through a more nuanced approach than standard protocols. It highlights that oxygen saturation should be strictly maintained between 88% and 92% to avoid respiratory complications caused by physiological shifts like the Haldane Effect. The text advocates for oral steroids over intravenous options due to comparable effectiveness and fewer side effects, while suggesting a brief five-day treatment window. Clinicians are encouraged to investigate pulmonary embolisms as a frequent hidden cause of symptoms and to use purulent sputum as the primary indicator for prescribing antibiotics. Finally, the source warns against delaying intubation if non-invasive ventilation fails to improve blood pH quickly and advises keeping patients fluid-restricted to protect heart function.
