Pulmonary rehabilitation

Rehabilitation of patients with chronic respiratory disease has tended to be neglected in the past, partly because of a generally pessimistic view of their prospects. Simple programmes of exercise training can produce measurable increases in exercise tolerance and sometimes great improvements in quality of life for respiratory patients. The effects of exercise seem to be through improvement in exercise efficiency. A full rehabilitation programme also involves an attempt to deal with patients' psychological problems and to help them regain independence in all aspects of their lives. The opportunity exists to improve the lot of a large group of people, at a relatively modest cost.