Even there, the optimal intensity, form, and duration are not clear. However, the other components of rehabilitation should not be dismissed. The value of patient education, for example, is hard to measure, hard to accomplish is an office practice, but also hard to deny. Education, together with the other multi-modal components of a rehabilitation program, form the therapeutic milieu required to effect a sustained commitment to an exercise program. In general, rehabilitation remains underutilized for symptomatic patients with COPD, and should categorically be part of their routine care.
Programs vary on their willingness to accept active smokers.
Some take smoking as a marker for lack of commitment to a healthy lifestyle, while others believe rehabilitation is the perfect opportunity to initiate smoking cessation. All rights reserved. This information is presented for general educational purposes only and cannot be adapted for the diagnosis or treatment of a particular individual. Physicians and health care professionals are encouraged to consult other sources as no single reference can substitute for medical training, education, and experience.