Pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with advanced lung disease

Pulmonary rehabilitation has gradually become a cornerstone of treatment for patients with advanced lung disease. Although most of the data that has resulted in the acceptance of this therapeutic modality has been obtained from studies of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the basic principles and tools are applicable to patients with many other limiting chronic diseases of the respiratory system. Because new therapeutic strategies, such as lung volume reduction surgery and lung transplantation, require well-conditioned patients, pulmonary rehabilitation is becoming a crucial component of the overall treatment strategy of many patients who heretofore were deemed untreatable. This article reviews the basic definitions, objectives, components, and outcomes of pulmonary rehabilitation in order to provide the reader with a practical and inclusive overview of the topic.