Oxígenoterapia y rehabilitación respiratoria en el paciente con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica

patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) often have severe shortness of breath that prevents them from performing their everyday activities. pulmonary rehabilitation programs improve capacity exercise, decrease breathlessness and enhance quality of life. in addition, the use of oxygen has been demonstrated to reduce ventilatory demand and to induce improvements in metabolism, muscle function, and cardiovascular function. the combination of exercise training and supplemental oxygen may provide additional benefit. this chapter therefore evaluated the scientific evidence regarding the beneficial effect of supplemental oxygen in the pulmonary rehabilitation of patients with copd. supplemental oxygen should be recommended in all copd patients with resting hypoxemia during rehabilitative exercise training (quality evidence a, strong recommendation). also, in copd patients without resting hypoxemia was recommended to use supplemental oxygen during respiratory rehabilitation, because it allows a longer time of exercise and reduces dyspnea (quality evidence b, weak recommendation).