Abstract

Our review article summarizes current knowledge on medical rehabilitation with special emphasis on rehabilitation in respiratory conditions. Medical rehabilitation entails a multidisciplinary approach to chronically ill and disabled patients sen/ing to restore the highest possible physical, mental and professional capacity allowing patients to function actively and independently within the limitations placed upon them by their disorder The beneficial effects of rehabilitation depend considerably on careful planning of action to be taken in the course of treatment of chronic functional disorders and the feasibility of its continuation in the community The American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the European Respiratory Society (ERS) recommend pulmonary rehabilitation in the therapy of chronic respiratory conditions. It has been defined as a multidisciplinary approach providing an indMdually designed multi-speciality programme incorporating the diagnosis, treatment, education and psychological techniąues to stabilise and/or re-vert the physiological and psychopathological symptoms of chronic respiratory conditions. A well designed pulmonary rehabilitation programme encompasses educating patients and their relatives, healthy life style and nutritional (weight correction) advice as well as appropriate psychological intentions. Patient education is the cornerstone of comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation and remains the shared duty of patients, their families, GPs and all other members of the therapeutic team. Counselling and nutritional advice are important components of the educational programme as they influence patients’ general well-being and fitness.

Key words:

pulmonary rehabilitation, education, asthma, COPD, cystis fibrosis