Oxygen transport deficits in systemic disease and implications for physical therapy

The purposes of this article are to discuss the effects of some common systemic diseases on cardiopulmonary function and oxygen transport and to describe the implications for physical therapists. Pathology of every major organ system can manifest secondary effects on cardiopulmonary function and oxygen transport. Such effects are of considerable clinical significance given that they can be life threatening and that physical therapy usually stresses the oxygen transport system. This article reviews the cardiopulmonary effects of hematologic, neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, hepatic, renal, collagen vascular and connective tissue, endocrine, and immunologic conditions. The cardiopulmonary manifestations of some common nutritional disorders (eg, obesity, anorexia nervosa) are also discussed. Physical therapists need to be able to anticipate, detect, and manage the cardiopulmonary manifestations of systemic disease given medical advances and the increasing number of patients with multisystem problems, the aging of the population, the expanding scope of physical therapy practice, and the increased professional and ethical responsibility associated with direct patient access.