Electrical stimulation to improve muscle strength in chronic respiratory conditions, chronic heart failure and chronic kidney disease

Evidence on the safety of electrical stimulation to improve muscle strength in chronic respiratory conditions, chronic heart failure and chronic kidney disease shows no major safety concerns.

• For people who are having an acute exacerbation of their chronic condition and are unable to exercise, evidence of efficacy is adequate to support the use of this procedure provided that standard arrangements are in place for clinical governance, consent and audit. Find out what standard arrangements mean on the NICE website.

• For people who are able to exercise, evidence on efficacy is inadequate in quality. Therefore, this procedure should only be used in the context of research. Find out what only in research means on the NICE website.

Further research should include long term, suitably powered and appropriately controlled randomised trials. These should report details of patient selection, and type and duration of treatment. Outcomes should include quality of life, social functioning and physiological measures.