Respiratory physiotherapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease *Endereço

Abstract

World Health Organization state that obstructive pulmonary diseases exhibit a high rate of mortality due to changes in ventilatory arising out of this disease. The loss of functionality is demonstrated in the reduction of physical activities that have an impact on activities of daily living, as well as on hospitalizations by worsening respiratory symptoms. Pulmonary physical therapy has been well established and increasingly recommended in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The key elements to the treatment include a multidisciplinary approach. In general, patients seek physical therapy care when have respiratory symptoms. Respiratory physical therapy intervention must be early, as it will minimize the deleterious effects of bronchial obstruction, promoting improvement of pulmonary ventilation and patient’s functionality, improving their quality of life. In COPD patients, physical therapy programs are crucial, such as: pulmonary rehabilitation duration, orientations of maintenance therapy, management of exacerbations, training intensity of aerobic exercise, the inspiratory muscle training, behavioral guidelines and psychological support are part of a set of necessary attention to the therapeutic success. On the basis of the literature review, the aim of this article was to demonstrate the intervention of respiratory physiotherapy in pathological changes of bronchial obstruction and the beneficial results on pulmonary function.