Best Respiratory Therapy

All that matters between life and death is breath. Breathing is one of the basic activities that keep us alive. Living with breathing difficulties is definitely not easy. One in every 10 asthma patient in the world is in India. Environmental triggers like pollution, dust, bugs, pollen and domesticated animals increase the prevalence of asthma in lower and middle income countries. Respiratory therapy is therefore a topic that needs to be addressed, especially among these countries.

Adverse Outcomes in Surgical Patients with Asthma

Asthma has several co-morbidities. However, little known are the perioperative (during the course of operation) and post-operative complications associated with asthmatic patients during a surgery. Studies have reported an increase in adverse outcomes in patients with active asthma prior to a surgery. Postoperative pneumonia, septicemia and urinary tract infections to name a few. These cases have been particularly noted among those who had undergone preoperative asthma related emergency care, hospitalization, ICU admissions etc. The risk factors are constantly monitored before the surgery to administer better care for asthmatic patients.

Importance of Respiratory Therapy

Respiratory therapy is a highly recommended treatment procedure. It is used to treat patients with acute and chronic dysfunction of the cardiopulmonary system. Trained respiratory therapists have evolved to be vital members of the healthcare system. They provide intensive respiratory care to cardiac and stroke patients in the ICU. During a patient’s recuperation period, they constantly monitor the blood oxygen and gas levels. There are lots that a respiratory therapist can contribute to the overall care plan of a patient.

Asthma Disease Management

The role of respiratory therapists in asthma disease management, especially during the post-operative phase is very crucial. They start with making a complete assessment of the patient’s medical history in order to efficiently handle any emergency. Special therapies are designed and medication is modified to protect the patient’s airway. Every measure is taken to ensure the patient and his family is in complete control over the condition before being shifted to home. This way, the chances of readmissions and any future complication that could arise due to asthma is completely eliminated.

Here, we list down 5 Reasons to Consider Respiratory Therapy

1. Chest physiotherapy sessions are an integral component of every respiratory therapy session. Prolonged and periodic sessions can remove any obstruction to the breathing passage
2. Breathing exercises can modify the breathing patterns of the patient. These are manual techniques to increase the tidal volume of the chest wall and reduce the respiratory rate compared to quiet breathing.
3. Counseling plays a key role in any effective recovery. By the time a patient is ready to go home, it is important for him to understand how asthma affects his body. Both the patient and the caregiver receive training to identify the triggers and how to control them.
4. Constant monitoring of the cardiopulmonary system is important for asthmatic patients recovering from surgeries. Inpatient rehabilitation centers like SuVitas have a trained team of respiratory therapists who offer continuous monitoring in order to accelerate the patient’s recovery.
5. Disease management & prevention are two of the primary work areas of every respiratory therapist. During respiratory therapy sessions, patients and their family receive lung health education to take better control of their health outcome.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation is an area of Respiratory therapy, where patients with chronic lung problems benefit with reduced symptoms and restored independent function. With a multidisciplinary approach in rehabilitation aided by Respiratory therapy, asthmatic patients who are recovering from surgeries can confidently spring back to their active lives.