Abstract
The respiratory system is constantly exposed to external pathogens but has different
and effective defense systems. The pathophysiology of bronchiectasis affects the defense
system considerably in that alterations occur in the airway that reduce its effectiveness
in mucociliary clearance and the greater presence of mucins leads to the accumulation
of more adherent and viscous mucus. One of the pillars of treatment of this disease
should be improvement of mucociliary clearance and a decrease in the adherence and
viscosity of the mucus. To this end, the mobilization of secretions must be increased
through effective respiratory physiotherapy techniques, which can be manual and/or
instrumental. The properties of mucus can be modified to improve its mobilization
through the use of a mucoactive agent. Despite the increase in the number and quality
of studies, the evidence for these treatments remains scarce, although their application
is recommended in all guidelines.
Keywords
bronchiectasis - respiratory physiotherapy - airway clearance - mucoactive agents
