Abstract
Educational aims
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To provide an overview of the content of outpatient rehabilitation programmes.
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To explore the value of rehabilitation programmes of different lengths.
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To discuss issues of maintenance.
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To detail adjuncts to outpatient-based rehabilitation.
Summary Reduction in physical activity and breathlessness are arguably the two most important features for patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has several objectives for patients with COPD, but in the context of this article the most relevant aim is the enhancement of physical training, and how this might be optimised.
- ©ERS 2008