Pulmonary rehabilitation in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), neglected in terms of pulmonary rehabilitation some decades ago, have nowadays evidence-based recommendations to attend it. There are no serious limitations excepting the locomotor handicap (neurological and musculoskeletal disability), severe cardiovascular and cognitive impairment. Multiple outcomes are expected to show up, as improvement of cardiovascular fitness and exercise capacity, relieving symptoms as dyspnoea, depression and anxiety. Meeting people like them on pulmonary rehabilitation premises, with same limitations and life beliefs, benefiting of group support and staff encouragement, elderly patients with COPD will find out that a pulmonary rehabilitation course might be both pleasant and useful, despite of distance of journey and physical training.
Ciobanu
Laura D
LD
University of Medicine and Pharmacy Gr T Popa, Clinical Hospital of Rehabilitation, Iaşi, România. lauraciobanu@yahoo.com
Pesut
Dragica P
DP
Srivastava
Govind N
GN
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000534:rehabilitation; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome