Rehabilitation care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common, preventable and treatable disease characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airway obstruction, and/or alveolar damage, usually caused by significant exposure to harmful particles or gas. The most common respiratory symptoms are shortness of breath, cough, and/or expectoration (GOLD 2019). Patients underestimate these symptoms. Illness is the leading cause of mortality. It affects around 329 million people worldwide. These figures show an increase of 65% since 1990. In 2013, the disease increased by 2,900,000 deaths, up from 2,400,000 in 1990. The number of deaths is expected to continue increasing, due to more pronounced exposure to risk factors, the most significant of which is smoking. Prognosis indicates that by 2020 this negative trend will deepen. According to various estimates, 4-6% of the population over 40 in Europe suffers from COPD, with the incidence of the disease increasing with age. Daily activities, such as climbing stairs or walking on a slope, become a daily battle for those living with COPD. Most people do not spend time thinking about their breathing, but other people’s daily lives are centered around it. COPD is a serious illness, but there are some steps to prevent it from getting worse. This worrying data is a strong argument in the need to do more for people with COPD to keep their condition under control. The purpose of the study is to review the literature on the usefulness of respiratory physiotherapy.