Article

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a common, progressive disorder
associated with disabling symptoms, skeletal muscle dysfunction, and substantial
morbidity and mortality. Current national guidelines recommend pulmonary
rehabilitation (PR) to improve dyspnea, functional capacity, and quality of life.
Many PR exercise programs are based on guidelines from the American College of
Sports Medicine. Recommendations have also been published by the American
Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and the American
Thoracic Society. Translating exercise science into effective training and
clinical care requires interpretation and the use of diverse national PR
guidelines and recommendations. Pulmonary rehabilitation clinicians often vary in
their education and background, with most nurses and respiratory care
practitioners lacking formal training in exercise physiology. Patients often have
comorbidities that may further complicate exercise provision and prescription.
This article describes the results of an informal, nonscientific survey of the
American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation members
exploring current PR exercise prescription practices as a basis for discussion
and reviews current national exercise recommendations for chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease. Further, it describes areas of uncertainty regarding exercise
prescription in PR and suggests strategies for providing effective exercise
training, given the diversity of guidelines, clinician preparedness, and patient
complexity.

Langue : ANGLAIS