CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF DIAGNOSING RESPIRATION MUSCULATURE DYSFUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE AND CHRONIC HEART IMPAIRMENT

79 patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or chronic heart failure (CHF) have been examined in order to study the respiration dysfunction with the help of MicroRPM device applied for measuring the respiratory muscle strength. The patients have been questioned and physically examined. Clinical and laboratory methods of examination, complex functional examination as well as psychophysiological assessment of major clinical symptoms have also been applied. Data analysis confirms the decrease of functional test values of respiratory muscle strength both in the group of patients with CHF and in patients with COPD. There are some differences in the changes observed in patients with COPD comparing to patients with CHF, those changes becoming more significant with the progressing of COPD. There has been established the correlation between the degree of dyspnea sensation, fatigue and the respiratory muscle strength values in patients with COPD and CHF.