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<\/h3>\nBy: Amy Shevlin, PT, MS, DPT, GCS<\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
November is COPD Awareness Month!\u00a0 COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and it is a collective term for any disease process that blocks or disrupts the passage of air through the lungs over a long period of time. Included within this term are conditions such: as Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis, and Asthma.\u00a0 COPD is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the US and is responsible for 5% of deaths worldwide each year.\u00a0 Because of the debilitating effects of this condition, Physical and Occupational Therapists routinely treat patients with COPD in their clinical practice.\u00a0 Therapists are often involved in the care of these patients due to global muscle weakness, decreased activity tolerance, increased fall risk, and decreased independence with functional mobility and ADLs.<\/p>\n
For therapists, progressing this group of patients through a therapy plan of care can be a challenging and daunting task.\u00a0\u00a0 This group of patients typically will experience decreased ability to tolerate activity due to impaired lung function as well as muscle weakness, including respiratory muscle weakness.\u00a0 Patients with COPD often experience shortness of breath so debilitating that they are not only unable to participate in activities they enjoy, but they are also not able to participate with their functional mobility tasks.\u00a0 \u00a0Because of the chronicity of their illness, these patients often become frustrated with health care services and demonstrate decreased compliance with health care recommendations.\u00a0 All of these things can lead to further exacerbations and functional decline.<\/p>\n
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November is COPD Awareness Month!\u00a0 COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and it is a collective term for any disease process that blocks or disrupts the passage of air through the lungs over a long period of time. Included within this term are conditions such: as Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis, and Asthma.\u00a0 COPD is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the US and is responsible for 5% of deaths worldwide each year.\u00a0 Because of the debilitating effects of this condition, Physical and Occupational Therapists routinely treat patients with COPD in their clinical practice.\u00a0 Therapists are often involved in the care of these patients due to global muscle weakness, decreased activity tolerance, increased fall risk, and decreased independence with functional mobility and ADLs.<\/p>\n
For therapists, progressing this group of patients through a therapy plan of care can be a challenging and daunting task.\u00a0\u00a0 This group of patients typically will experience decreased ability to tolerate activity due to impaired lung function as well as muscle weakness, including respiratory muscle weakness.\u00a0 Patients with COPD often experience shortness of breath so debilitating that they are not only unable to participate in activities they enjoy, but they are also not able to participate with their functional mobility tasks.\u00a0 \u00a0Because of the chronicity of their illness, these patients often become frustrated with health care services and demonstrate decreased compliance with health care recommendations.\u00a0 All of these things can lead to further exacerbations and functional decline.<\/p>\n