Pulmonary Rehab Flashcards
Describe restrictive lung disease in general
- Alveoli unable to expand due to lung scarring, fibrosis or mechanics resulting in inability to “get air in”
Common symptoms of restrictive lung disease
- Shortness of breath (especially during exertion)
- Limited chest wall mobility
- Dry cough
- Rapid, shallow breathing
Generally describe obstructive lung disease
- Airways become narrow & blocked due to a thickening of the tissues, inflammation, alveolar hyperinflation and/or secretions resulting in air trapping & difficulty “getting air out”
Common symptoms of obstructive lung disease
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Chronic cough
- Prolonged exhalation
Why do pulmonary rehab or physical therapy
- Loss of muscle mass
- Decrease in function
- Increase in body fat (associated with comorbid conditions)
- Dyspnea/breathlessness
- Cognitive deficits
Benefits and downfalls of pulmonary rehab
- Improves patient outcomes & reduces hospital readmissions
- Less than 2% of pts receive PR within 6 mo after a hospitalization
- Only 6% of Medicare beneficiaries actually attend PR programs
- Race/socioeconomic status are strongly associated with PR participation
What are the 4 essential areas of pulmonary rehab that require outcome measurements
- Exercise capacity
- Symptoms (dyspnea and fatigue)
- Health related QoL
- Psychosocial status
A physical therapist makes the greatest contributions in which areas of pulmonary rehab
- Evaluation
- Outcome measurement
- Exercise & functional training
- Airway clearance
- Education
What are the most commonly used exercise tests for pulmonary rehab
- CPET
- Shuttle test
- 6 minute walk test
What to look for on a breathing pattern assessment
- Nose or mouth breathing: nasal health and structural issues
- Apical (upper chest) vs diaphragmatic
- Hyperventilation
- Breath holding
- Frequent yawning, sighs
Describe a breathing check in
- When in doubt, breathe out
- Posture check: jaw open, shoulders down, and belly relaxed
- One hand on chest, one hand over belly button
- Try breathing in through your nose, out through the mouth
- Which hand moves more, top hand, bottom hand
Absolute contraindications to exercise testing
- Acute MI within 2 days
- Ongoing unstable angina
- Uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia with hemodynamic compromise
- Active endocarditis
- Symptomatic severe aortic stenosis
- Decompensated HF
- Acute PE, pulmonary infarction, or DVT
- Acute myocarditis or pericarditis
- Acute aortic dissection
- Physical disability that precludes safe and adequate exercise testing
Is oxygen within the physical therapy scope to titrate as needed in order for patients to safely perform exercise (True/False)
- True
Intervention strategies for pulmonary rehab
- Breathing pattern re-training: nose, low and slow; focus on exhale vs inhale
- Airway clearance: active cycle of breathing; flutter valve
- CV exercise
- Inspiratory muscle training
- Functional resistance training: STS, push/pull, and lift/carry
Educational topics for pulmonary rehab patietns
- Disease specific information (basic pathophysiology)
- medication adherence
- Symptom monitoring
- Smoking cessation
- Mental heath resources
- Nutritional support
- Local or web-based support groups