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Respiratory Tract Disease Blog
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More Smog Might Mean More Hospitalizations
Posted 18 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, April 18 – Long-term exposure to fine-particle air pollution may increase older adults' risk of being hospitalized for lung and heart disease, stroke and diabetes, a new study says. Harvard School of Public Health researchers compared air-quality data with hospital admission records on all Medicare patients aged 65 and older admitted to 3,000 New England hospitals between 2000 and 2006. The researchers focused on fine air particles known as PM2.5, which have a diameter of 2.5 microns or less and are narrower than the width of a human hair. These particles – emitted by vehicles, power plants, wood-burning devices and some industrial processes – can lodge in the lungs and cause inflammation throughout the body. "Our study found that long-term rates of admissions for pneumonia, heart attacks, strokes and diabetes are higher in locations with higher long-term average particle ... Read more
Related support groups: Diabetes, Type 2, Heart Disease, Asthma, Ischemic Stroke, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Respiratory Tract Disease
Climate Change Could Be Tough on Seniors' Health: Study
Posted 9 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, April 9 – Even small swings in temperatures could put elderly people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart failure and lung disease at greater risk of death throughout the coming summer, a new study indicates. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston found temperature fluctuations related to climate change could claim thousands of lives every year. Experts predict climate change could increase variations in summer temperatures, particularly in the mid-Atlantic states and in parts of France, Spain and Italy. In these more volatile regions, this could pose a serious public health risk, the study authors claimed. "The effect of temperature patterns on long-term mortality has not been clear to this point. We found that, independent of heat waves, high day-to-day variability in summer temperatures shortens life expectancy," study author Antonella ... Read more
Related support groups: Diabetes, Type 2, Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Congestive Heart Failure, Heart Failure, Diabetes, Type 1, Diabetes Mellitus, Respiratory Tract Disease
Discovery of Lung Stem Cells May Herald New Treatments
Posted 11 May 2011 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, May 11 – Contrary to current scientific thinking, human lungs do harbor stem cells capable of forming different parts of the lung, including blood vessels, a new study says. The findings, reported May 12 in the New England Journal of Medicine, may open the door to eventual bioengineered lung tissue repair and replacement. "These cells are very smart. They know what to do," said study senior author Dr. Piero Anversa. "The clinical implications are significant." The findings could potentially offer a new avenue of treatment for patients suffering from respiratory conditions, such as emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or pulmonary hypertension, that currently have only limited treatment options. "Now that we have identified these cells and have the potential of growing them, we know it's not science fiction," said Dr. Andrew Pecora, vice president of cancer ... Read more
Related support groups: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Respiratory Tract Disease
Years Later, Victims of Critical Respiratory Illness Still Suffer
Posted 6 Apr 2011 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, April 6 – Survivors of a little-known critical illness known as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain physically and emotionally weak five years after recovering, despite the fact that their lungs heal almost completely, a new study indicates. Following 109 ARDS patients – 86 percent of whom participated in a previous one-year study – Canadian researchers observed they had not returned to normal physical functioning five years after prolonged treatment in the intensive care unit. Lasting effects included low scores on general health and vitality as well as lingering disability from muscle and nerve damage, stiff joints, scarring from breathing tubes and post-traumatic stress disorder. The study, which is the first to track ARDS patients long-term, is published in the April 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. "If you're a critical care physician, ... Read more
Related support groups: Respiratory Tract Disease
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Cough, Asthma, Bronchitis, Nasal Congestion, Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Rhinitis, Bronchospasm Prophylaxis, Hiccups, view more... Aspiration Pneumonia, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Pleural Effusion, Pulmonary Impairment, Respiratory Failure, Pulmonary Heart or Vascular Disease, Croup, Hypereosinophilic Syndrome, Pleuropulmonary Infection, Berylliosis