Pulmonary Rehabilitation

The central aspect of PR is to manage pulmonary diseases, prevent their progression, and relieve the symptoms. But most importantly, to avoid serious health complications, exacerbations and reduce the mortality rate. Sometimes, long-term oxygen therapy is necessary.

Although this is a relatively recent respiratory practice, pulmonary rehab can address multiple weaknesses. Since this is an individually designed multidisciplinary program, it can help with different degrees of respiratory impairment. Here is a detailed guideline of the weaknesses addressed.

Ventilatory Limitation

Constraint (ventilatory limitation) when exercising is determined by measuring how close the minute ventilation (ventilatory reserve) is while exercising. The type of breathing pattern a person adopts when exercising will affect their ventilatory constraint.

Pulmonary rehabilitation focuses on alleviating the impaired gas exchange and boosts dead space ventilation. Therefore, it can help with peripheral muscle dysfunction. To control the continuous breathing pattern, some patients need short-term ICP.

Ventilation can help with breathing problems. But, to reduce the risk of ventilator-induced lung damage, controlling the gas exchange becomes a key strategy. Ventilation helps patients ease the upper airway obstruction and helps the lungs function properly.

When the patient doesn’t need mechanical support anymore, then they go through the weaning program. Weaning liberates them from the endotracheal tube and restores their independence. Those who pass the objective and subjective assessment (like blood pressure, coughing, and heart status tests) are ready for weaning.

Heart Dysfunction

What most people don’t realize is that pulmonary diseases can also affect the heart. If the blood isn’t getting enough oxygen from the lungs, the cardiovascular system works harder to replenish its oxygen supply. This overworks the heart and can wear it out.

As a result, people with lung diseases are susceptible to heart problems. Based on research, COPD patients have a higher mortality risk due to myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, or congestive heart failure compared to healthy individuals.

Because of the better peripheral vascular resistance, pulmonary rehab boosts the right ventricular afterload. In other words, it strengthens the lungs and heart. If you do the monitored treatment and stick to the recommended guidelines, you can restore your health and enjoy a healthier lifestyle.

Gas Exchange Limitation

People with the pulmonary disease can have many health problems—some experience inspiratory muscle fatigue, impaired lung mechanics, malnutrition, ventricular dysfunction, and psychological issues. However, the impaired gas exchange can become a real health issue.

When there is a serious imbalance between oxygen demand and supply, you can experience restlessness, paleness, abnormal breathing, or cyanosis. This can take a toll on your daily life, research shows.

Pulmonary rehabilitation can address inspiratory muscle endurance and functional inspiratory muscle strength. That makes it a valuable component in managing pulmonary diseases.

Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction

COPD patients have weaker muscles and low endurance. Anyone with this chronic respiratory disease can experience skeletal muscle dysfunction. This is easy to recognize from the endurance and strength impairment.

Quadriceps strength tends to reduce in severe or moderately ill COPD patients. This will impact the patient’s quality of life. The reason for that is relatively simple. Because of the impaired skeletal muscle performance, people often have a low exercise capacity. They don’t have the energy to exercise, so they can’t take good care of their bodies.

Pulmonary rehab improves fatigue resistance, particularly the quadriceps muscle. It can help the muscles function better by boosting endurance, strength, muscle fiber, and managing fatigue. These are all key factors in improving exercise capacity.