4.1 Pulmonary Rehabilitation

In your career as a respiratory therapist, it is very likely that one day you will encounter someone who tells you they are “short of breath.” This very ambiguous statement will set off alarm bells in your head as your mind races to find the appropriate follow-up questions. Is it difficult to inhale? To exhale? Is the force of inhalation or exhalation compromised? Given the long list of things that can cause shortness of breath, you may decide to test this patient’s lung function to rule out some common pulmonary disorders and move forward with treatment^[1].

Once a patient’s lung function has been evaluated and depending on the results, you may want to suggest the patient enroll in a pulmonary rehabilitation program so they can optimize their remaining lung function. The American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) is a multidisciplinary professional association of health professionals who serve in the field of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. Members include cardiovascular and pulmonary physicians, nurses, exercise physiologists, physical therapists, behavioral scientists, respiratory therapists, dieticians, and nutritionists^[2]. This is the same organization that sets and accredits pulmonary rehabilitation programs and sets guidelines for programs to follow.

What is pulmonary rehabilitation exactly? According to the American Heart Association, pulmonary rehabilitation is a program of education and exercise to increase awareness about a patient’s lungs and disease. Patients will learn to achieve exercise with less shortness of breath. The classes are offered in a group setting so patients get the chance to meet others with similar conditions, which provides an opportunity to give and receive peer support. The skills and knowledge learned in the program will help patients feel better and manage their chronic lung diseases. Patients become stronger by increasing their level of fitness. Exercising their lungs and muscles helps patients be more active so they can do the things they enjoy with their loved ones. In addition, pulmonary rehabilitation may even decrease the need for hospital visits^[3].