A longitudinal study evaluating the effect of exacerbations on physical activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Physical inactivity is common in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and independently predicts poor outcomes. Longitudinal assessments of physical activity in outpatients with COPD, covering periods of stability and exacerbations, have not been evaluated previously.

Methods: Patients with clinically stable COPD and a history of two or more clinical exacerbations in the preceding 12 months were recruited.

Diaphragm paralysis.

The diaphragm is a chief muscle of inspiration. Its paralysis can lead to dyspnea and can affect ventilatory function. Diaphragmatic paralysis can be unilateral or bilateral.

Medical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

A variety of treatment options are available for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in addition to positive pressure therapy and surgery. These modes of treatment might be employed in patients who cannot tolerate positive pressure therapy despite aggressive measures to improve compliance. These options include weight reduction, sleep hygiene, positional therapy, and oxygen therapy.

Obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is an increasingly well-recognized disease characterized by periodic collapse of the upper airway during sleep. This leads to either complete or partial obstruction of the airway, resulting in apneas, hypopneas, or both. This disorder causes daytime somnolence, neurocognitive defects, and depression.