The Medusa faces of dyspnoea in COPD

Exercise limitation and exertional dyspnoea are common problems in patients with a variety of chronic lung diseases, as well as with heart failure. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, the level of patient-reported dyspnoea is used as a parameter to assess COPD, currently leading to a "one size fits all" approach, largely based on pharmacological recommendations [1]. As exertional symptoms poorly correlate even with resting measurement lung function clusters [2], a more accurate estimate of functional capacity by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) can provide information about the influences of the cardiac, respiratory, musculoskeletal and haematological systems [3]. Such assessment of the integrated cardiopulmonary response to exercise remains largely underutilised in the personalised assessment and management of patients with exercise limitation and breathlessness.
Source: European Respiratory Journal - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Editorials Source Type: research