Músculos respiratorios, tolerancia al ejercicio y entrenamiento muscular en la EPOC

Movement is essential for human and animal life. The respiratory muscles are essential for life, while those in the extremities allow the relational life. There is evidence that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have respiratory and peripheral muscular dysfunction. Muscular dysfunction in the legs is characterized by reduced exercise capacity in these patients, greatly impairing their quality of life. Muscular and structural metabolic alterations constitute the biological basis of this muscular dysfunction. Several factors have been implicated in the etiology of peripheral muscular dysfunction in patients with COPD, such as hypoxia, malnutrition, inflammation, and oxidative stress, among others. General training is an essential component of pulmonary rehabilitation, the final aim of which is to improve exercise tolerance in COPD patients. In addition, specific training of the respiratory muscles has also been shown to improve exercise capacity and quality of life in these patients.