Abstract
Since the heart and lungs are internal organs connected directly, each organ has always influenced the other. Therefore, respiratory problems such as deoxygenation due to cardiac problems are not improved by only assisting breathing in many cases. Respiratory physiotherapy needs to be applied to patients with cardiac disease with an understand of the pathophysiology of cardiac disease and the limitations of respiratory physiotherapy. Early mobilization is one of the most effective respiratory physiotherapy techniques after cardiac surgery, while clinical evidence has disproved the effectiveness of traditional breathing exercises using incentive spirometry. Patients with heart failure and patients after cardiac surgery show weakness of respiratory muscle strength; however, further research needs to be performed about the necessity of respiratory muscle training for patients with cardiac disease since the relationship between respiratory muscle training and physiotherapy outcomes is not sufficiently clear.
