1,721,324 research outputs found
Patient ventilator interfaces: practical aspects in the chronic situation.
No full textIn the ventilator-dependent patient, the nonpsychological problems of the chronic phase relate mainly to aspects of the patient ventilator interface. Humidification, suctioning of secretions, and ventilatory circuit and monitoring are the three most important aspects to which careful attention is needed. Good humidification can be obtained by means of various devices, which can provide humidity directly or indirectly: in the tracheostomized patient, the heat and moisture exchanger appears to be a good method because of its antibacterial properties. Airway suctioning is frequently needed in patients receiving ventilation invasively. Suctioning of secretions might possibly be associated with the risk of major cardiorespiratory complications: bacterial colonization of the airways and the subsequent increased risk of infection should be carefully considered. Problems concerning the ventilatory circuit and monitoring can be specific in patients with a tracheal cannula and those with a nasal/facial interface. Long-term tracheostomy in itself represents a real risk for bacterial colonization, damage to the tracheal mucosa, and to functioning of the vocal cords (both for speech and swallowing): therefore, a switch from invasive to noninvasive ventilatory interface may be proposed. Most problems with the nasal mask interface concern air leakage and the skin mucosal lesions. Two major aspects must be taken into account when considering the long-term effects of noninvasive ventilatory support monitoring: the possible effect of CO2 rebreathing, and the inadequate volume/pressure delivery, so that proper ventilation cannot be achieved. Use of an oral/mouth interface is of limited interest in subjects with restrictive disorders: air gastric distension and orthodontic problems are the most common side-effects in chronic use
Measures of dyspnea in pulmonary rehabilitation
Full text linkAbstract Dyspnea is the main symptom perceived by patients affected by chronic respiratory diseases. It derives from a complex interaction of signals arising in the central nervous system, which is connected through afferent pathway receptors to the peripheral respiratory system (airways, lung, and thorax). Notwithstanding the mechanism that generates the stimulus is always the same, the sensation of dyspnea is often described with different verbal descriptors: these descriptors, or linguistic 'clusters', are clearly influenced by socio-individual factors related to the patient. These factors can play an important role in identifying the etiopathogenesis of the underlying cardiopulmonary disease causing dyspnea. The main goal of rehabilitation is to improve dyspnea; hence, quantifying dyspnea through specific tools (scales) is essential in order to describe the level of chronic disability and to assess eventual changes after intervention. Improvements, even if modest, are likely to determine clinically relevant changes (minimal clinically important difference, MCID) in patients. Currently there exist a large number of scales to classify and characterize dyspnea: the most frequently used in everyday clinical practice are the clinical scales (e.g. MRC or BDI/TDI, in which information is obtained directly from the patients through interview) and psychophysical scales (such as the Borg scale or VAS, which assess symptom intensity in response to a specific stimulus, e.g. exercise). It is also possible to assess the individual's dyspnea in relation to specific situations, e.g. chronic dyspnea (with scales that classify patients according to different levels of respiratory disability); exertional dyspnea (with tools that can measure the level of dyspnea in response to a physical stimulus); and transitional (or 'follow up') dyspnea (with scales that measure the effect in time of a treatment intervention, such as rehabilitation).</p
Exercise Capacity as a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Outcome
No full textDisabled patients with chronic respiratory disease and peripheral skeletal muscle disorders have limitations in their exercise capacity, which may be improved after specific training in a pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program. Individual assessment of exercise capacity by clinically available exercise tests represents an important patient-centered outcome that should be embedded in the rehabilitation process. These measurements include laboratory (treadmill and/or cycle ergometer) and field (walking) tests. The cardiopulmonary exercise test, both performed with incremental (incremental-load test) or predetermined (constant-load or endurance test) loading, is an excellent means to describe the profile of an individual's maximal exercise capacity and to record its change after PR. Among the variety of field-based tests, 6-min walking and shuttle walking are 2 simple tests widely used during PR. These tests are inexpensive and provide information on an individual's functional abilities: the 6-min walking test has been shown to provide level of disability and functional status, whereas the shuttle walking test has been shown to be more suitable to detect change of physical performance following PR. Overall, several available physiologically targeted tests are useful to measure the patient's tolerance to exercise, and many are even sensitive to change once intervention has taken place. In particular, endurance modality tests seem to provide better measurement of changes after PR than incremental exercise tests
La Riabilitazione Respiratoria.
No full textTrattato aggiornato sul razionale e la applicazione delle metodologie cliniche riabilitative nell'ambito delel patologie respiratorie a evoluzione disabilitante
A conceptual framework for reporting experience with physical activity in COPD.
No full textNot availabl
Fungal infection and haematological malignancies: a report about association therapy with amphotericin B and 5-flucytosine in primary lung involvement.
No full textNon disponibil
Nonpharmacological treatment and relief of symptoms in COPD.
No full textEvidence-based guidelines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have recently been developed. Nonpharmacological treatments have evolved rapidly as an essential part of COPD therapy. They are especially important as complementary interventions in severe or very severe disease, when there is loss in function, a reduction in quality of life and when psychological impairments further complicate the disease. The present article discusses the most used nonpharmacological treatments for severe COPD patients (rehabilitation, long-term oxygen therapy, surgery, noninvasive positive pressure ventilation and supportive nutrition) and their evidence-based usefulness in promoting strategies that relieve symptoms. All of these interventions are used during end-stage disease, to promote self-efficacy, relieve symptoms and prevent further deterioration. These therapeutic options support physicians and allied professionals in improving symptom management for their patients
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