Respiratory rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a strongly Evidence-Based tailored multidisciplinary rehabilitative approach for patients with chronic respiratory impairments, that has the goal to:

• relieve symptoms
• improve exercise tolerance
• prevent the respiratory disease progression
• improve overall health status
• prevent complications, worsenings and further hospitalization
• improve overall quality of life
• increase participation
• reduce healthcare costs stabilising/reversing systemic manifestations of the respiratory disease
• improve survival

Respiratory rehabilitation is a fundamental treatment for patients with chronic respiratory diseases and impairments, such a COPD and others.

These patients tent to reduce their physical activity level becoming progressively less mobile, with the consequence of peripheral muscle wasting. This phenomenon has a negative impact on survival, hence re-gaining muscle mass and strength is a therapeutic goal since increased physical activity is associated with better prognosis, physical and cognitive status, and eventually survival.

Associated treatments are quite often smoking cessation and long-term oxygen therapy.