Page 121 - Petelin, Ana, ur. 2024. Zdravje delovno aktivnih in starejših odraslih / Health of Working-Age and Older Adults. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo ▪︎ Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press

Pulmonary rehabilitation in Sežana hospital

1,2
1
1
Vanja Debevec , Anna Marija Tašev , Nastja Podrekar Loredan , Boris Devčič ,
1
Marjan Koterle
1 Hospital for the treatment and rehabilitation of chronic lung diseases and extended
hospital treatment in Sežana, Sežana, Slovenia
2 University of Primorska Faculty of Health Sciences, Izola, Slovenia
Background and purpose: The cave environment is an extreme environment to which
humans adapt depending on a number of physical, chemical and anthropological fac-
tors. The cave microclimate, as a specific and unique unit of the cave ecosystem, is
a system consisting of several individual parameters with their own biological activi-
ty. The impact of the cave environment on humans depends on the combined effect
of various factors. Caves are the most popular tourist attraction in the world. How-
ever, the cave environment is also used for health purposes, known as speleothera-
py. Speleotherapy is a special form of climatotherapy in which the cave microclimate
is used to treat chronic lung diseases. Following detailed and targeted climatologi-
cal studies, long-term monitoring of the effectiveness of speleotherapy began in Eu-
rope in the 1950s. At that time, it was mainly geographers and geologists who were at
work, and medical data only confirmed the extremely good clinical results. Numerous
sources confirm that after therapy in the cave environment, lung functions improve,
the consumption of medication decreases, the general physical and mental condition
improves and the immune system is strengthened. The positive effect of speleothera-
py on lung patients can also be seen after a completed therapy cycle, which is reflect-
ed in fewer exacerbations of the disease.
Content presentation: Pulmonary rehabilitation has been carried out at Sežana Hospital
since 1991 and is based on the interdisciplinary work of a team consisting of a lung spe-
cialist, nurse, physiotherapist and dietician. By carrying out pulmonary rehabilitation
in the cave, the condition of the underlying respiratory disease improves, the physical
performance of the individual and the quality of life are improved. The implementation
of the pulmonary rehabilitation programme at Sežana Hospital is presented and some
comparisons are made with the treatment of asthmatics and patients with chronic
obstructive bronchitis in other centres in Europe. The results of pulmonary function
measurements, a six-minute walk test and an assessment of dyspnoea before and af-
ter the rehabilitation programme are presented. problemi, izzivi in priložnosti na področju zdravja ... | concerns, challenges and opportunities in the health ...
Conclusions: Improving the quality of life of adult lung patients is undoubtedly an impor-
tant part of the sustainable development of society. Given the benefits of this type of
pulmonary rehabilitation, it would be useful to make such rehabilitation available in the
future to younger adults who are still in active working life.
Keywords: speleotherapy, cave microclimate, walking test

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