Kronisk obstruktiv lungesygdom (KOL). Kan indsatsen forbedres?
Sammanfattning
We describe a review of the literature regarding the effect of rehabilitation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Optimal medical treatment is the basis of qualified rehabilitation comprising physical training, patient education, advice and guidelines and possible changes of lifestyle, such as smoking cessation, plus psychosocial care and follow-ups by well-educated nurses in an interdisciplinary collaboration. The studies vary greatly in both quality and the number of participants. Therefore, it is difficult to generalize their results to clinical practice.Today, however, there is so much documentation of its positive effects that we can conclude that patients who are given rehabilitation have a better exercise and functional capacity, better quality of life and less need of bed-days in hospitals. Rehabilitation seems to be cost-effective. A calculation by the H:S indicates that it can reduce the number of patients' bed-days in hospital. Future scientific investigations must be conducted in order to assess and develop rehabilitation efforts most effectively, especially the effect of early treatment before the need for admission arises.