Respiratory care
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Physical Activity and Quality of Life Improvements of Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Completing a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is effective for patients with COPD, but its benefit is less clearly established in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), especially in regard to levels of physical activity and health-related quality of life. The objectives were to determine whether pulmonary rehabilitation increased physical activity as assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and improved quality of life and symptoms as assessed by the St George respiratory questionnaire for IPF (SGRQ-I) and the Borg dyspnea index (BDI). ⋯ A 3-month rehabilitation program significantly improved symptoms (SGRQ-I) and physical activity levels (IPAQ) in subjects with IPF while they participated actively in the program. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT01118221.).
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Review
Cardiorespiratory Interactions: The Relationship Between Mechanical Ventilation and Hemodynamics.
The overall goal of the cardiorespiratory system is to provide the organs and tissues of the body with an adequate supply of oxygen in relation to oxygen consumption. An understanding of the complex physiologic interactions between the respiratory and cardiac systems is essential to optimal patient management. ⋯ Oxygen delivery to all organs and tissues of the body should be optimized, but not necessarily maximized. The heart and lungs are, obviously, connected anatomically but also physiologically in a complex relationship.
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Observational Study
Effects of a Multidisciplinary Care Program on Disability, Autonomy, and Nursing Needs in Subjects Recovering From Acute Respiratory Failure in a Chronic Ventilator Facility.
The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of a multidisciplinary program carried out in a chronic ventilator facility on disability, autonomy, and nursing needs of patients after a prolonged ICU stay. Secondary outcome measures were survival, weaning rate, chronic ventilator facility stay, and discharge destination. ⋯ A specialized tailored multidisciplinary program in subjects after an ICU stay contributed to recovery from disability, autonomy, and fewer nursing needs irrespective of diagnosis. Subjects discharged to a nursing home were the most severely disabled.
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Evidence exists that during pressure support ventilation (PSV), the addition of an extrinsic (ie, ventilator-generated) breath-to-breath variability (BBV) of breathing pattern improves respiratory function. If BBV is beneficial per se, choosing the PS level that maximizes it could be considered a valid strategy for conventional PSV. In this study, we evaluated the effect of different PS levels on intrinsic BBV in acutely ill, mechanically ventilated subjects to determine whether a significant relationship exists between PS level and BBV magnitude. ⋯ Despite a significant increase in spontaneous activity with PS reduction, BBV was not influenced by the PS level and was as low as 30% for all evaluated parameters.
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In 1993, the New York State (NYS) legislature and governor signed into law the Respiratory Therapy Guide to Practice Education Law to guide and regulate the profession of respiratory care under the auspices of the New York State Education Department. New guidelines were implemented by the New York State Education Department for respiratory therapists (RTs) in 2010 to provide the opportunity for RTs to receive continuing education units (CEUs) when participating as clinical preceptors. This study was conducted in June 2012 to determine the extent to which the NYS RTs are aware of the new licensing guidelines and amendments. ⋯ The findings indicate that more education is needed in NYS to make licensed RTs aware of the 2010 guidelines. Practitioners may require incentives to become actively involved in the clinical education of respiratory care students as their clinical preceptors.