COPD: focus on prevention: recommendations of the National Lung Health Education Program. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The purpose of this article is to provide the nurse in primary care with an overview of the National Lung Health Education Program guidelines. We outline the components of the guidelines for spirometry testing in persons at risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The role of spirometry testing in identifying those persons for whom smoking cessation is crucial is emphasized.