Effects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Respiratory, and Cardiovascular Functional Capacity in COPD

The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has shown a progressive increase of morbidity and mortality, suggesting that the lung as a single therapeutic target, has not contributed in the past 20 years, significant changes to the natural evolution of the disease. Direct treatment for systemic changes and comorbidities, in fact, the most responsible for high rates of treatment failure could mean a new hope of life for individuals with COPD. This research project characterized as interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary program will be headquartered in Pulmonary Rehabilitation of the Santa Cruz Hospital which has partnerships with local companies . Its main objective will be to analyze cardiorespiratory and functional capacity in COPD patients not rehabilitated and rehabilitated after the period from 02 to 12 months of treatment in a Pulmonary Rehabilitation program in the municipality of Santa Cruz do Sul - Rio Grande do Sul. Will be included in this survey of COPD patients who were referred to a rehabilitation program with a clinical diagnosis of disease. In research activities to assess cardiorespiratory and functional capacity of COPD, pre and post-program (02 and 12 months) are provided for Pulmonary Rehabilitation. The research subjects will also be subjected to physical exercise protocol as recommended by the GOLD (2009), a period of eight weeks, often 2x / week, where their vital signs are measured before, during and after each session. Thus, it is believed that it will be possible to refine the knowledge of mechanisms by which the judicious use of pulmonary rehabilitation can control the progression of COPD.