Dynamic respiratory control

A respiratory training method for performing respiratory training on a patient, comprising:

• measuring a flow rate of a respiratory gas for the patient;
• dynamically determining a patient lung volume from the flow rate at each of a plurality of patient lung volumes in a breathing cycle;
• selecting a plurality of predetermined respiratory training resistive load patterns to be applied to the patient, each respiratory training resistive load pattern defining a plurality of respiratory training resistive loads each to be applied at a patient lung volume value, said plurality of resistive loads including a maximal resistive load, a minimal resistive load, and at least one intermediate resistive load higher than the minimal resistive load and lower than the maximal resistive load;
• and
• applying the plurality of respiratory training resistive load patterns to the respiratory gas according to the lung volume.

A respiratory training apparatus for performing respiratory muscle training on a patient, comprising:

• a respiratory function valve for dynamically controlling a respiratory gas flow for a patient;
• flow rate monitoring means positioned in a flow path of the respiratory gas, in fluidic communication with the valve, for measuring a flow rate of the respiratory gas;
• and
• control means electrically connected to the flow rate monitoring means and the valve, and programmed to perform the steps of:
• receiving flow rate data from the flow rate monitoring means,
• dynamically determining patient lung volume data from the flow rate data at each of a plurality of patient lung volumes in a breathing cycle,
• selecting a plurality of predetermined respiratory training resistive load patterns to be applied to the patient, each respiratory training resistive load pattern including a maximal resistive load, a minimal resistive load,
• and at least one intermediate resistive load higher than the minimal
• resistive load and lower than the maximal resistive load, and for dynamically controlling the valve to apply the plurality of respiratory training resistive load patterns to the respiratory gas flow according to the lung volume data.