Pulmonary rehabilitation: definition, concept, and history

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a complex intervention for which it is difficult to craft a succinct yet inclusive definition. Pulmonary rehabilitation should be considered for all patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who remain symptomatic or have decreased functional status despite otherwise optimal medical management. The essential components of pulmonary rehabilitation are exercise training and self-management education, tailored to the needs of the individual patient and integrated into the course of the disease trajectory. Emerging data support a role for pulmonary rehabilitation in nontraditional contexts, such as during exacerbation in the non-COPD patient and in the home setting.