Pulmonary rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation has become an important therapeutic modality for p atients with symptomatic lung disease, especially chronic obstructive pulmo nary disease (COPD). This article reviews the basic definitions, objectives , components, and outcomes of pulmonary rehabilitation. By definition, reha bilitation services are provided to patients with symptoms; most of them ha ve advanced lung disease. Although most of the data proving the usefulness of rehabilitation service have been obtained from studies of patients with COPD, the basic principles and tools are applicable to patients with many o ther limiting chronic diseases of the respiratory system. Because new thera peutic strategies, such as lung volume reduction surgery and lung transplan tation, require well-conditioned patients, pulmonary rehabilitation is beco ming a crucial component of the overall therapeutic strategy of many patien ts who heretofore were deemed untreatable. This article is both practical a nd inclusive and should provide the reader with a good overview of the topi c. It also intends to place emphasis on the recent advances without losing touch with the time-proven elements of pulmonary rehabilitation.