Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
SENDROM, cilt.22, sa.2, ss.44-49, 2010 (Scopus)
Dyspnea, impaired exercise tolerance and reduced health related quality of life are common complaints in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Several evidence points the fact that these features are not simple consequences of the loss of pulmonary function. There is a weak relationship between reduced exercise capacity and impaired lung function. Furthermore, medication may improve pulmonary function in COPD, but does not necessarily have a clear effect on exercise capacity. Peripheral muscle weakness, impaired physical condition and reduced gas exchange are important contributors to reduced exercise tolerance. The consequences of exercise intolerance constitute important problems in COPD. Reduced exercise capacity and muscle weakness render these patients disabled with a high utilization of healthcare resources. They refrain from their work due to their disease and become socially isolated. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs aim at reversing this deleterious situation in terms of improvements in exercise capacity, activities of daily living and quality of life. These rehabilitation programs must be comprehensive and flexible to address each patient's needs and include smoking cessation, optimal medical treatment, exercise training, breathing exercises, nutritional intervention, psychosocial support and health education. Recently, well-designed studies investigated and confirmed the efficacy of pulmonary rehabilitation programs. As the impairment of exercise tolerance is a common problem in COPD patients, exercise training is considered an important component of the treatment. At this point, it is important to answer which optimal intensity and modality of exercise training should be preferred.