Despite repression from Soviet medical authorities, Dr. Buteyko's work was supported by grateful patients, who included academics and the political elite. Athletes and the military also supported respiratory reconditioning for its facilitation of super endurance. Dr. Buteyko trained practitioners and they traveled across the country, promoting and teaching respiratory reconditioning, successfully treating tens of thousands of people.

In 1980, it was endorsed by the Ministry of Health after successful trials, but conservative medical resistance thwarted it's general implementation. In 1990 it was introduced to Australia where published medical trials in 1994 showed that severe asthmatics reduced symptoms and their need for medication by 90%. Over ten thousand Australians have been successfully treated.