Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Abstract

Over recent years pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is recognized as thestandard and comprehensive treatment option to minimize disability andhandicap in patients suffering from chronic lung disease. The first definitionof PR was developed in 1974, at American College of Chest Physicians(ACCP) annual meeting, and and the first comprehensive statement waspublished by the American Thoracic Society in 1981, and adapted in 1999.In 1997 ACCP in conjunction with American Association of Cardiovascularand Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) published first evidence-basedguidelines on pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). The rehabilitation processincorporates a program of physical training, disease education, andnutritional, psychological, social, and behavioral intervention. It is providedby multidisciplinary team with involvement of the patient’s family andattention to individual needs. The outcomes of rehabilitation for individualsand programs should be continually observed with the appropriate measuresof impairment, disability, and handicap. In our part of world there is an everstrong need to develop widespread pulmonary rehabilitation services, as theprevalence of disability due to chronic lung disease is increasing. The needfor such services is evident, and its demand is substantial, while the capacityto provide such services is poor. To improve the situation, action fromconsumers, health professionals, and even commissioner of health care bothin private and government sector needs to be stimulated.