Rehabilitation for patients with lung ailments emphasised

The Institutes of Pulmonology, Apollo Hospitals hosted a one day Symposium on Pulmonary Rehabilitation at Taj Banjara recently. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Arora, Co-Chairpersons, Apollo Hospitals said that lung related ailments is the fourth largest killer in India, accounting for 19 per cent to 20 per cent of deaths. The younger population is increasingly falling victim to these diseases.

There is very little awareness about comprehensive treatment provided through evidence based rehabilitation for such ailments. In patients suffering from lung diseases, the decrease in oxygen supply to the body and the muscles, weakens the muscles and that leads to them being bedridden leaving them with a sense of depression.

Rehabilitation by incorporating yoga, exercise, breathing techniques, nutrition and psychological counseling through a patient customised plan, can bring them to normal. The outcomes are excellent and life itself becomes more livable for these patients. Patients of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), bronchial asthama, lung cancer, can get great relief through rehabilitation.

Smoking and exposure to pollution are the fundamental causes of lung diseases. Amongst the youth, besides smoking, uncontrolled eating, sedentary lifestyles especially continuous sitting, aggravates the condition and working in air conditioned environment adds to the problem, he said. Rehabilitation teaches a new way of life and enables them to live longer.

Dr R Vijai Kumar, Organising Chairperson & Consultant, Pulmonologist, Apollo Hospitals said that treatment for patients with lung ailments involves lots of medicines, regular visits to doctors and hospitals, impacting their overall quality of life. Rehabilitation can reduce this dependence on medicines, besides addressing issues of optimum exercise and right nutrition to keep fit and counseling for depression, anxiety associated with it and helps bring them back to mainstream.

Rehabilitation is widely practiced in USA and European countries and in India it is yet to take wings, he said. Although new molecules are being introduced at regular intervals for Asthma, COPD and ILD, the morbidity, mortality and quality of life have been impacted in a limited way, he says. Pulmonary Rehabilitation over the last 30 years has been gathering mountains of favourable evidence, and has been shown to impact the lives of chronic lung disease patients positively.

However, this simple and easily implementable intervention is yet to percolate into actual practice of pulmonologist, adds Dr Kumar. In her message to the Symposium Upasana Kamineni, Managing Director, Apollo Life, while expressing regret for not being able to attend the inaugural function said, the Apollo wellness center has helped thousands of patients and their families improve their quality of life. When you cannot breathe, nothing else matters.

Programmes like this are helpful for young doctors to spruce up their knowledge on the latest in rehabilitation science. I have personally seen the benefits of evidence based, closely monitored rehabilitation when several family members have had improvement in their symptoms after illness. Apollo Hospitals has always been at the forefront of bringing the latest in technology and the same is true for rehabilitation.

We have several equipment with trained personnel to improve endurance, measure parameters like the anaerobic threshold and offer patients access to the best to improve their well being. In this context I am happy to share that we have also launched the health app Jiyo in partnership with Dr Deepak Chopra. Dr Sai Haranath, Consultant, Pulmonologist, Apollo Hospitals was joined by faculty and delegates attending the Symposium at the inauguration.