Pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD. A practical approach for improving ventilatory conditioning

Pulmonary rehabilitation has gradually become the "gold standard" for patients with severe lung disease, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Because some newer therapeutic strategies, such as lung volume reduction surgery and lung transplantation, require well-conditioned patients, pulmonary rehabilitation is now considered essential for many patients formerly deemed untreatable. In this article, Dr Celli reviews the basic goals, components, and benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD and other chronic respiratory diseases.