title: The roles of bronchodilators, supplemental oxygen, and ventilatory assistance in the pulmonary rehabilitation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary rehabilitation significantly improves dyspnea, exercise capacity, quality of life, and health-resource utilization. These benefits result from a combination of education (especially in the promotion of collaborative self-management strategies and physical activity), exercise training, and psychosocial support. Exercise training increases exercise capacity and reduces dyspnea. Positive outcomes from exercise training may be enhanced by 3 interventions that permit the patient to exercise train at a higher intensity: bronchodilators, supplemental oxygen (even for the nonhypoxemic patient), and noninvasive ventilatory support.
authors: Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care, St Francis Hospital and Medical Center, 114 Woodland Street, Hartford CT 06105, USA. rzuwalla@stfranciscare.org
authors: Richard L
authors: RL
authors: ZuWallack
mesh_terms: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006801:Humans; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011788:Quality of Life
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents