Cardiopulmonary Physiotherapy: Respiratory Assessment, Airway Clearance, Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, and ICU Care
What the exam tests
Respiratory assessment, airway clearance, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, and ICU care.
Core rules and concepts
- Assessment: inspection, auscultation, percussion, SpO2, arterial blood gases, and chest radiograph interpretation; identify consolidation, effusion, and pneumothorax.
- Airway clearance: ACBT, PEP, autogenic drainage, and postural drainage. Contraindications include untreated pneumothorax, unstable haemodynamics, and recent haemoptysis.
- Cardiac rehabilitation: phase I inpatient mobilisation, phase II early outpatient, phase III maintenance. Use Borg 11–13, 6-minute walk test, and METs; monitor blood pressure and symptoms.
- Pulmonary rehabilitation: exercise training, education, and self-management improve dyspnoea and quality of life in COPD.
- ICU: early mobilisation, positioning, and ventilator weaning; screen sedation, lines, and haemodynamic stability first.
Worked example
A patient with bronchiectasis has copious secretions and SpO2 94% on air. Reasoning: use ACBT with huffing and PEP, position for drainage, and monitor SpO2. Avoid postural drainage if there is haemoptysis or instability.
Traps that cost marks
Ignoring contraindications to postural drainage; pushing exercise beyond angina or arrhythmia thresholds; confusing cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation phases; failing to document SpO2 response and Borg score.