Rehabilitation and supportive therapy in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) very often coexists with cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and metabolic comorbidities. This condition significantly impact on the general health, function, frailty and disability of such patients, and consequently on their prognosis. Indeed, complex and recurrent symptoms of general dysfunction are commonly present and burden on the health status. Symptomatic COPD patients, even with chronic and complex comorbidities or with different degree of severity, may benefit from rehabilitation including exercise and maintenance of physical activity, in order to reducing symptoms and restoring the highest possible level of independent function. This review will focus on the associated and relevant clinical problems of these patients at the onset of disability, methods of assessment and useful non-pharmacological treatments for caring and supporting them. © 2014 European Federation of Internal Medicine.