Palliative care

* Opioids should be used when appropriate to palliate breathlessness in patients with end-stage COPD which is unresponsive to other medical therapy.
* Benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, major tranquillisers and oxygen should also be used when appropriate for breathlessness in patients with end stage COPD unresponsive to other medical therapy.
* Patients with end stage COPD and their family and carers should have access to the full range of services offered by multidisciplinary palliative care teams, including admission to hospices.