Application of pulmonary rehabilitation in elderly patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / 中国医师杂志

ABSTRACT

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common preventable disease characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation, mainly manifested as chronic cough, expectoration and wheezing. With the aging of the population and the aggravation of environmental pollution, the number of elderly patients with COPD has gradually increased in recent years. Compared with young individuals, the acute exacerbation of elderly COPD patients is more frequent and often complicated with a variety of underlying diseases, even after active drug treatment, the therapeutic effect is still limited. More systematic treatment methods are needed on the basis of conventional drug therapy. The positive role of pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD patients who are in stable period has been confirmed, but in the acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) patients is controversial, especially in the elderly AECOPD patients. In this review, we summarized current studies of the application of pulmonary rehabilitation in elderly AECOPD patients.