ABSTRACT
The respiratory muscle pump may be considered as a vital organ whose function is to maintain the carbon dioxide and oxygen homeostasis in alveolar air. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pump function is jeopardized both by the increased load placed on the system and by factors which diminish strength or endurance of the respiratory muscles. Failure of the respiratory muscle pump is manifest by carbon dioxide retention which is a recognized feature of advanced stable COPD both at rest (1) or during exercise (2); however, abnormalities of respiratory muscle function are detectable before chronic respiratory failure is established. In this chapter the consequences of respiratory muscle dysfunction in COPD are discussed. The rationale and merits of using drugs and hormones for the enhancement of respiratory muscle function in COPD is then considered.
