Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Excerpt

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a “comprehensive intervention based on a thorough patient assessment followed by patient-tailored therapies that include, but are not limited to exercise training, education, and behavior change, designed to improve the physical and psychological condition of people with chronic respiratory disease and to promote the long-term adherence to health-enhancing behaviors” as per the official American Thoracic Society/ European Respiratory Society statement.

In the National Emphysema Treatment Trial (NETT), it was noted that pulmonary rehabilitation showed benefits in patients with COPD. These patients underwent pulmonary rehabilitation before and after lung volume reduction surgery. No significant improvements in mortality or lung function were presumed as a lack of its efficacy of pulmonary rehabilitation in the past. The use of meaningful endpoints such as exercise tolerance, symptoms of dyspnea, endurance, and quality of life has changed the outlook at pulmonary rehabilitation. When the goals of pulmonary rehabilitation were readdressed, the benefits became clearer.