An integrative review of systematic reviews related to the management of breathlessness in respiratory illnesses.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Breathlessness is a debilitating and distressing symptom in a wide variety of diseases and still a difficult symptom to manage. An integrative review of systematic reviews of non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions for breathlessness in non-malignant disease was undertaken to identify the current state of clinical understanding of the management of breathlessness and highlight promising interventions that merit further investigation.

Methods

Systematic reviews were identified via electronic databases between July 2007 and September 2009. Reviews were included within the study if they reported research on adult participants using either a measure of breathlessness or some other measure of respiratory symptoms.

Results

In total 219 systematic re

SUBMITTER: Bailey CD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3016307 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature