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Commentary
Adult nursing
Fan therapy is a treatment option for relieving of chronic breathlessness
  1. Magnus Ekström
  1. Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
  1. Correspondence to Dr Magnus Ekström, Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; pmekstrom{at}gmail.com

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebnurs-2019-103118

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    Commentary on: Swan F, Newey A, Bland M, et al. Airflow relieves chronic breathlessness in people with advanced disease: An exploratory systematic review and meta-analyses. Palliat Med 2019;33:618-633. doi:10.1177/0269216319835393.

    Implications for practice and research

    • Fan therapy and airflow at the face or nasal mucosa might relieve chronic breathlessness.

    • Fan therapy is harmless and could be tried against breathlessness during/after exertion or at rest.

    • Evidence is warranted on the effect using better modes of comparison/blinding, long term effects and on patient acceptability and effectiveness in clinical practice.

    Context

    Chronic breathlessness,1 is a major cause of suffering in people with severe disease. Treatment includes cardiorespiratory rehabilitation training, supplemental oxygen in hypoxaemia and low dose opioids in selected patients, but is often insufficient and new therapeutic options are needed. …

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.