Understanding the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects 600,000 people in the UK (British Thoracic Society, 2001) and costs the NHS more than 800m pounds a year (Guest, 1999). While this data is useful for health economists and service providers, it does not tell us about the devastating impact COPD has on quality of life. The disease is commonly associated with varying degrees of breathlessness, cough and loss of exercise capacity. These symptoms can play a significant role in limiting a patient's ability to carry out simple, day-to-day activities.