Abstract
Pulmonary rehabilitation has become an important therapeutic modality for patients
with symptomatic lung disease, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
This article reviews the basic definitions, objectives, components, and outcomes of
pulmonary rehabilitation. By definition, rehabilitation services are provided to patients
with symptoms; most of them have advanced lung disease. Although most of the data
proving the usefulness of rehabilitation service have been obtained from studies of
patients with COPD, the basic principles and tools are applicable to patients with
many other limiting chronic diseases of the respiratory system. Because new therapeutic
strategies, such as lung volume reduction surgery and lung transplantation, require
well-conditioned patients, pulmonary rehabilitation is becoming a crucial component
of the overall therapeutic strategy of many patients who heretofore were deemed untreatable.
This article is both practical and inclusive and should provide the reader with a
good overview of the topic. It also intends to place emphasis on the recent advances
without losing touch with the time-proven elements of pulmonary rehabilitation.
Key Words:
Pulmonary rehabilitation - COPD - exercise - dyspnea
