Expert consensus on the application of inhalation therapy in pulmonary rehabilitation in China

Abstract

As an important component of disease management, pulmonary rehabilitation delays disease progression, alleviates symptoms, improves exercise tolerance and quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) and other types of respiratory dysfunction. Due to the disease characteristics of patients with respiratory dysfunction, patients generally have problems such as reduced exercise tolerance and impaired airway mucus clearance capability during pulmonary rehabilitation. Inhalation therapy has a unique and significant role in the treatment of respiratory diseases, complementing and promoting each other with pulmonary rehabilitation. Rational application of inhalation therapy can effectively prevent and treat the loss of exercise tolerance and improve the effect of airway clearance in pulmonary rehabilitation,while pulmonary rehabilitation techniques can help to improve the strength of inspiratory muscles, patient self-management, and improve the safety and effectiveness of inhalation therapy. However, there are still difficulties in clinical application due to different knowledge systems of clinical medicine and rehabilitation medicine. In order to further promote the discipline integration and better guide clinical practice,the Respiratory Branch of the Chinese Geriatrics Society (CGS) and the China Rehabilitation Hospital Association (CRHA) organized respiratory and rehabilitation experts to jointly formulate the Chinese expert consensus on the application of inhalation therapy in pulmonary rehabilitation.