Advancing COPD Rehabilitation with Innovative Respiratory Care Solutions 

November is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month, a reminder of the growing need for effective respiratory rehabilitation strategies. COPD impacts more than 16 million Americans—1 in 8 adults age 45 and older—with many more who have gone undiagnosed. It affects the ability to breathe, leads to long-term disability, and significantly affects quality of life.¹ For clinicians, this highlights the importance of comprehensive respiratory care that includes both assessment and targeted intervention. 

ACPlus® Respiratory Assessment & OmniFlow® in COPD Rehabilitation

Effective COPD rehabilitation begins with an accurate assessment. The ACPlus® Respiratory Assessment (ARA) is designed to help clinicians proactively identify undiagnosed respiratory deficits, including early signs of COPD. Using an iPad and Bluetooth spirometer, clinicians can conduct quick, data-driven breathing tests that capture inspiratory and expiratory lung volume and flow metrics, which can be used to determine the patient’s baseline status and monitor treatment effectiveness over time. 

ARA interprets this data to suggest possible lung disease patterns and severity levels, providing clinicians with actionable insights. It can also help detect when a patient with COPD may be approaching a flare-up, allowing for timely intervention and care planning. By identifying deficits early, clinicians can tailor therapy strategies that align with each patient’s respiratory capacity and functional goals. 

Once a treatment plan is established, the OmniFlow® Breathing Therapy Biofeedback System serves as an engaging and measurable intervention tool. Patients can complete various respiratory exercises in a fun, virtual environment: 

For patients with COPD in particular, targeted inspiratory muscle training paired with endurance training has been shown to enhance inspiratory muscle function and balance.² 

OmniFlow also provides real-time visual feedback on performance to motivate patients to improve control and consistency. The objective inhalation and exhalation data OmniFlow provides helps clinicians better assess the patient’s condition and develop more effective treatment plans.

From Assessment to Intervention 

By identifying respiratory deficits early and delivering engaging, data-informed therapy, clinicians can help patients with COPD experience improved function, reduced flare-ups, and greater quality of life. Together, ARA and OmniFlow can help patients with COPD breathe, move, and live better.

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