Hospital mortality rate dips slightly Dec 13, 2008
The measure counts deaths from 65 causes that account for about 80 per cent of in-hospital deaths, including the leading causes: heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and septicemia (blood poisoning). Data were adjusted for age, gender, urgent versus planned hospital admissions, whether patients were transferred from another hospital, the length of stay and other health problems, to name a few. (Globe and Mail)
FDA panel: Two asthma drugs risky but Advair OK Dec 12, 2008
The FDA could decide to revoke the approval of Serevent and Foradil for asthma, although the drugs would continue to be sold for treating another lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. On Serevent, the committee voted 17-10 that risks outweighed the benefits for adults and 21-6 against use in adolescents. (Scientific American)
Panel Urges Restrictions on 2 Asthma Drugs Dec 12, 2008
The drugs are also widely prescribed for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. That use was not affected by Thursday's deliberations of a 27-member FDA advisory committee. (WebMD)
Struck off: lawyers who milked sick miners for millions Dec 12, 2008
His firm, Beresfords in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, expanded rapidly, acting in more than 83,000 cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and more than 14,500 cases of vibration white finger (VWF), a painful condition caused by working with vibrating tools. The joint earnings of Mr Beresford and Mr Smith went from more than 182,000 in 2000 to 23,273,256 in 2006. (Independent)
FDA panel votes to ban certain asthma drugs Dec 12, 2008
Serevent and Foradil are also approved to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders like emphysema. So even if the agency follows the panel. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Advisory Panel Weighs Conflict on Asthma Drugs Dec 11, 2008
The medicines use is split evenly between patients suffering from asthma and those suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders like emphysema. Among the latter group, there is little debate that the medicines are needed. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Study finds selenium, vitamin E do not prevent prostate cancer Dec 10, 2008
" Identity of SELECT participants will remain blinded to prevent the introduction of any unintentional bias, however, they may be unblinded upon request. The sub-studies, funded and conducted by the National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Aging, the National Eye Institute and the NCI, will continue without the participants taking any supplementation. These ancillary studies were evaluating the effects of selenium and vitamin E on... (EurekAlert!)
It's still not too late to get a flu shot, experts say Dec 9, 2008
"This is especially important for people at risk of complications from the flu. Like those with COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and any other pulmonary condition," he said. The estimates 36,000 die annually of influenza and 200,000 are hospitalized. (Newsday)
American Chemical Society's Weekly PressPac -- Dec. 3, 2008 Dec 8, 2008
Researchers have identified a "biomarker " that could lead to early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ... Advance toward early diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Journal of Proteome Research ... Researchers in Finland are reporting identification of the first potential "biomarker" that could be used in development of a sputum test for early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). (EurekAlert!)
Dry Winter Weather Results In Highest Particulate Pollution Levels From Traffic Dec 7, 2008
(May 22, 2006) People with diabetes, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis are at increased risk of death when exposed to particulate air. (May 13, 2008) With the Olympic Games in sight, the Chinese Government is committed to improving the air quality in Beijing, and has had measures in place since 1998 which have already made a difference. (Science Daily)
Warning Given on Use of 4 Popular Asthma Drugs, but Debate Remains Dec 6, 2008
Whatever the committee s decision, the drugs will almost certainly remain on the market because even the agency s drug-safety officials concluded that they were useful in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, nearly all of whom are elderly. Dr. Katharine Knobil, global clinical vice president for Glaxo, dismissed the conclusions of the agency s drug-safety division as not supported by their own data. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Deadlines for other inhalers to go eco-friendly Dec 3, 2008
Combivent, a combination of albuterol and ipratropium commonly used by patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD.. Two additional quick-acting alternatives to albuterol, metaproterenol and pirbuterol. (FOXNews)
What is COPD? (4) Dec 2, 2008
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is the third leading cause of death in Arizona. It is a disease that damages the lungs and restricts the airways, making it difficult to get air in and out. (Green Valley News & Sun, AZ)
Steroid Inhalers Raise Pneumonia Risk for Lung Disease Patients Nov 27, 2008
People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder must weigh risks, benefits, experts say ... TUESDAY, Nov. 25 (HealthDay News) -- A new review of existing data confirms that some common inhalers don't boost the life spans of people with the lung disease known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ... Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease -- which encompasses emphysema and chronic bronchitis -- follows heart disease, cancer and stroke as the leading cause of deaths among Americans,... (MEDLINEplus)
Exhaust from Railroad Diesel Linked to Lung Ailments Nov 27, 2008
TUESDAY, Nov. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Long-term exposure to diesel exhaust fumes may increase the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes lung conditions such as bronchitis and emphysema. U.S. researchers studied the job and health records of more than 30,000 railway workers and found that those who worked on diesel trains (engineers, brakemen, conductors) were more likely to die of COPD than those who worked in ticketing, signaling, maintenance, or administration. (MEDLINEplus)
Inhaled steroids up pneumonia risk in lung ailment Nov 27, 2008
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People with the lung ailment chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are more likely to get pneumonia if they use inhaled corticosteroid drugs and doctors should be more cautious in prescribing them, researchers said. People with smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, who took the drugs for symptoms such as cough, wheezing, shortness of breath and exhaustion from light exercise were 34 percent more likely to develop pneumonia than those who did not,... (Reuters)
Infection in the Pathogenesis and Course of COPD Nov 27, 2008
NEJM -- Infection in the Pathogenesis and Course of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ... Infection in the Pathogenesis and Course of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ... In the 1950s and 1960s, according to a theory known as the British hypothesis, repeated airway infection and hypersecretion of mucus were thought to be the causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). (New England Journal of Medicine)
'Off-Label' Drug Use Is Common Nov 26, 2008
The asthma drug Singulair(montelukast), commonly prescribed off-label for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD). The arthritis drug Celebrex(celecoxib), with fibromatosis being the most common off-label use. (CBS News)
Study Calls for Greater Scrutiny Of 'Off-Label' Drug Use Nov 26, 2008
"Typically, drugs have to pass a number of safety tests, Walton said. "But once they are put on the market, because they have received approval for an on-label indication, they can be used off-label," he said. The new report was published in the Nov. 24 issue of the journal Pharmacotherapy. Antidepressants and antipsychotics are the most prominent classes of drugs on the list, which specifically targets medicines that have high levels of off-label use without good scientific backing. Topping the... (MEDLINEplus)
Inherited Genetic Cause, Possible Treatment Found For Complex Lung Disorder Nov 26, 2008
5, 2007) Air pollution and tobacco smoke contain oxidants that when inhaled can cause damage to the lungs and contribute to diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In a study. (Science Daily)
Long-Term Erythromycin Cut COPD Complications Nov 25, 2008
FRIDAY, Nov. 21 (HealthDay News) -- People with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be able to reduce the frequency of exacerbations through a regular, low dose of a common antibiotic, a new report says. The study, published in the first issue for December of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, found that twice-daily 250-milligram doses of erythromycin reduced exacerbations by as much as 35 percent. (MEDLINEplus)
More studies urged for off-label drugs Nov 25, 2008
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 6. (USA Today)
Climate Change May Boost Exposures To Harmful Pollutants Nov 25, 2008
Exposure to elevated concentrations of ozone is associated with increased hospital admissions for pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and other respiratory diseases, and with premature mortality. Projections suggest that climate change will increase concentrations of tropospheric ozone, at least in high-income countries when precursor emissions are held constant, which would increase morbidity and mortality, wrote authors Kristie L. Ebi and Glenn... (Science Daily)
Exercise can battle breathlessness Nov 25, 2008
Airways disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is an umbrella term for several different conditions with the shared features of chronic, irreversible and worsening breathlessness. The most common conditions that come into the COPD category are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. (The Australian)
Veterans aren't using puffers properly Nov 24, 2008
In researching [Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease], my Department found that many busy health professionals weren t easily able to demonstrate the latest correct techniques to their patients, or assumed that their patients knew how to use the devices properly, he said ... The campaign will provide educational materials for GPs and pharmacists, and it will focus on the diagnosis, treatment and management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. (Australian Ageing Agenda)
Puff, puff, cough, cough Nov 21, 2008
Statesman News Service KOLKATA, Nov. 20: More young women in the country have recently fallen prey to severe respiratory diseases, particularly Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), as a result of smoking, according to city doctors. COPD is comprised of two related diseases ~ chronic bronchitis and emphysema, where obstruction of airflow in and out of the lungs worsens over time, causing shortness of breath, coughing, and other conditions. (The Statesman)
* People with signs of COPD are urged to seek treatment Nov 21, 2008
In anticipation of the upcoming peak season for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), doctors urged those with signs of the illness to receive help before its too late. COPD is a progressive and degenerative condition where the airways of the lungs become narrowed, leading to dyspnea (shortness of breath), nonstop coughing, sputum and wheezing. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Taiwan)
Long-term antibiotics reduce COPD exacerbations, raise questions Nov 21, 2008
Long-term use of a macrolide antibiotic may reduce the frequency of exacerbations in patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by as much as 35 percent, according to a London-based study. "Our results show a significant effect of low-dose macrolide therapy, reducing exacerbation frequency and severity with moderate to severe COPD," wrote lead author of the paper, Terence A. R. Seemungal, Ph. (EurekAlert!)
OK to be a quitter today Nov 20, 2008
"Whether it is lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or circulatory and heart problems," write Kotlikoff and Burns, "much of the disability and eventual death that many Americans suffer can be traced directly to smoking.". Kotlikoff and Burns note that historically, the best way to increase life expectancy in America was through public health projects (water, sewer, etc. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Thousands of patients could face lung damage, charity warns Nov 19, 2008
The British Lung Foundation is calling for everyone over 35 with asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), an umbrella term which includes diseases like emphysema, to be retested. The call comes after a survey for the charity shows that most doctors have trouble differentiating between the two conditions. (Telegraph.co.uk)
Solicitors 'misled' sick miners Nov 18, 2008
The firm acted in more than 83,000 cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and more than 145,000 cases of vibration white finger (VWF). The court was told under government procedures, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) agreed to pay lawyers' fees in successful cases. (BBC News -- UK)
Solicitors earning 23m a year accused of creaming off cash from ... Nov 18, 2008
The court heard that Beresfords acted in more than 83,000 cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and more than 14,500 cases of vibration white finger. Mr Dutton gave the example of Rodney Bochenski, who had a claim against British Coal after he suffered vibration white finger. (Scotsman)
EDITORIAL:'The Smokeout' Nov 18, 2008
The American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association both have strong ethical and moral interests in prevention and cessation: Smoking causes multiples kinds of cancers and it causes Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which includes emphysema. Millions of Americans have COPD and are treated. (Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal)
Lung Cancer Patients Get Blamed for Their Disease Nov 17, 2008
In a separate report released Thursday, researchers at the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute found poor public awareness of another major pulmonary condition, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which affects an estimated 24 million Americans. Only 64 percent of those surveyed had heard of COPD, and among those who knew of it, only 44 percent were aware of it as a leading cause of death. (Washington Post)
NH providing fee screening for pulmonary disease Nov 16, 2008
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- New Hampshire health officials are providing free screening to residents at risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. The screening will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Puritan Conference Center in Manchester. (Concord Monitor)
Most lung cancer attributable to smoking (6) Nov 15, 2008
Most lung cancer attributable to smoking. Thirty-seven years later, it still is. (Somerset Daily American, PA)
U.S. Won't Meet 2010 No-Smoking Goals Nov 15, 2008
The authors of a third study suggested that efforts to reduce exposure to tobacco smoke (including secondhand smoke) could help reverse increases in costs and deaths caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a preventable and treatable condition that's the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. In 2005, COPD accounted for one in 20 deaths in the United States. (MEDLINEplus)
Smoking rate falls below 20 percent Nov 14, 2008
The CDC said smoking causes at least 30 percent of cancer deaths, including more than 80 percent of lung cancer deaths, as well as 80 percent of deaths from the lung ailment chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. REUTERS. (Boston Globe)
Smoking Rate Is Declining in US Nov 14, 2008
Mortality rates for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease () increased 8% from 2000 to 2005. COPD deaths among women rose to 60,229 annually between 2000 and 2004, up from 56,363 between 1997 and 2001. (WebMD)
Minority Children Waiting For Heart Transplants Have Higher Death Rates Nov 12, 2008
18, 2008) Blacks with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were less likely to receive a lung transplant and more likely to die or be removed from the transplant list than whites, according to Columbia. (May 15, 2008) An often asymptomatic condition -- systolic dysfunction, or decreased pumping of the heart -- poses an increased risk of death for patients on kidney transplant waiting lists, according to a new. (Science Daily)
Business in Brief Nov 11, 2008
Pohlman and Gimino specialize in treating patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema and lung disease. Dr. Gimino will also be seeing sleep medicine patients. (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)
Crossing the digital divide Nov 11, 2008
The elderly were defined in the study as those with a mean age greater than 65 years; the chronically ill as those with conditions such as diabetes, asthma, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and mental illness; and the underserved as minorities, low-income populations and those living in medically underserved geographic regions. The factor most frequently associated with increased use of interactive health IT systems, the study found, is the perception of a real health... (EurekAlert!)
Managing COPD - Are You in Control of Your Oxygen Therapy? Nov 8, 2008
2 million Americans receiving long-term oxygen therapy for conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), there is a way to check critical oxygen saturation levels in a convenient way. People commonly check their own weight and temperature whenever they need to, and many patients can check their blood pressure and blood sugar at home as well. (Pekin Times, IL)
Oxygen Therapy No Quick Fix for Lung Disease Nov 7, 2008
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Oxygen therapy from a portable tank does not improve the short-term physical activity or quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to study findings in the journal Chest. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, incorporates two principal diseases, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. (MEDLINEplus)
Living With Smokers May Be Associated With Inadequate Access To Healthful Food Nov 7, 2008
(May 23, 2007) Marijuana worsens breathing problems in current smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a new study. The study found that among people 40 and older, smokers were. (Science Daily)
I watched Fox News for five hours last night Nov 6, 2008
Before Brit Hume informed Fox viewers just past 11 p.m. Eastern, in the dispassionate tones of a physician delivering a grave prognosis, that Barack Obama had been elected president, we got several iterations of a 60-second ad for Plavix, a pharmaceutical "proven to help protect against future heart attack or stroke." This was followed, at least once, by a commercial for another drug (I didn't catch its name) that may relieve symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. Along with heart... (Salon)
Weather Eye: Could autism be related to the climate? Nov 6, 2008
And the high level of humidity in the climate may also play an important part in the high incidence rates of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Britain. Have your say. (Times Online)
Virus Infection and Respiratory Disease Nov 6, 2008
NEJM -- Virus Infection, Asthma, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ... Virus Infection, Asthma, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ... Both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Court rejects cap on Medicare rates Nov 4, 2008
The case, closely followed by Medicare officials and consumer advocates, involved drugs used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Judge Henry H. Kennedy Jr. of the US District Court here said the policy of paying for only "the least costly alternative" was not permitted under the Medicare law. (Boston Globe)
Patients Give Low Scores To Hospitals In First National Survey Nov 3, 2008
(May 21, 2008) A new study has found that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are at high risk for hospitalization or emergency room visits from exacerbations or complications benefit from. (Feb. (Science Daily)
UK lung transplant breakthrough for Wrexham man Nov 1, 2008
Mr Collins was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema in April last year and went on the transplant waiting list. He needed oxygen to help him breathe and relied on his wife Maggie to help him walk up the stairs at home. (WalesOnline)
Lungs 'breathe' outside body Oct 31, 2008
Doctors at the University Hospital of South Manchester in Wythenshawe performed the 14-hour operation on Kenneth Collins, 55, diagnosed with emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. According to the Independent, the procedure has never before been performed outside Sweden, where the doctors, who pioneered it, had themselves carried out the surgery only six times. (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
Prostate Cancer Prevention: No Benefit For Use Of Selenium And Vitamin E Supplements, Study Shows Oct 31, 2008
SELECT has been funded by NCI for 114 million, with additional monies from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and with substudies funded and conducted by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Aging and the National Eye Institute at NIH. The substudies were evaluating the effects of selenium and vitamin E on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the development of Alzheimer's disease, and the development of macular degeneration and... (Science Daily)
OSA's ISP launches with research on breathing disorders and congenital heart defects Oct 31, 2008
Other current clinical studies are testing whether aOCT can detect airway changes in people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. According to McLaughlin, this technology can also be used during sleep in patients with sleep apnea, to better understand why the upper airway (throat) collapses and narrows in these individuals. (EurekAlert!)
Medicare health plan upgraded for Texas Oct 28, 2008
Some 580,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Texas will be eligible to join Care Improvement Plus, which focuses on Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with diabetes, heart failure, end state renal disease and other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. For 2009 we are continuing to focus on providing specialized benefits that go beyond what many Medicare plans offer, aimed at improving quality of care and controlling health care costs, says Frederick C. Dunlap, board chairman and CEO of XLHealth, which... (San Antonio Business Journal, TX)
Depression May Worsen COPD Oct 28, 2008
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Among people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, depression and possibly anxiety appear to increase the risk of flare-ups and hospitalizations, according to a new report. Prior research has linked depression with COPD flare-ups, but the new findings suggest that depression may actually play a causal role. (MEDLINEplus)
Jury Renders Defense Verdict in Diet Drug Case Oct 24, 2008
Nicholas said in his opening statement that it was more likely that Edna Crowder died because of the lung disease chronic obstructive pulmonary disease because of her family history of COPD and because she had smoked several packs of cigarettes a day for 25 years. Nicholas also said Edna Crowder was morbidly obese, didn't use her sleep apnea machine as directed and drank multiple beers several times a week. (Law.com)
Depression may increase exacerbations, hospitalizations in COPD Oct 24, 2008
It is well known that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) frequently suffer from depression and anxiety, but according to new research, depression and anxiety may actually cause increased hospitalizations and exacerbations. "This is an important and revealing finding, indicating that for COPD patients, depression and anxiety must be treated as potential clinically important risk factors, rather than simple comorbidities that are caused by COPD," said principle investigator... (EurekAlert!)
National Jewish Health researchers evaluating treatment to help emphysema sufferers breathe easier Oct 23, 2008
Emphysema, a component of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is a chronic, progressive and irreversible lung disease characterized by the destruction of lung tissue. The loss of the lungs' natural elasticity and the collapse of airways in the lung combine to make exhalation ineffective, leaving emphysema sufferers with hyperinflation because they are unable to get air out of their lungs. (EurekAlert!)
Novartis to buy Nektar's pulmonary unit for $115M Oct 22, 2008
Novartis said it will use Nektar's expertise to accelerate its pipeline for drugs against chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and cystic fibrosis and other illnesses ... chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. (Yahoo News -- Pharmaceutical Industry News)
Steroids Aid Recovery From Pneumonia, Researchers Say Oct 21, 2008
(July 19, 2007) Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are increasingly being prescribed inhaled corticosteroids to control exacerbations of the disease, but a new study finds that the. (Apr. (Science Daily)
Jon Johnston, 80, professor, champion of individual rights Oct 19, 2008
He had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and had been hospitalized since a car crash collapsed his lungs in February. The body was cremated. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Gundersen Lutheran earns top marks in care report Oct 16, 2008
Gundersen Lutheran: Appendectomy, bariatric surgery, bowel obstruction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetic acidosis and coma, heart attack, heart failure, hip fracture repair, pancreatitis, pneumonia, respiratory failure, sepsis, total hip replacement, total knee replacement ... Black River Memorial, Black River Falls: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, maternity care. (La Crosse Tribune, WI)
Before Elective Angioplasty, Most Patients Do Not Undergo ... Oct 16, 2008
These included: being female, or 85 years or older; or having other illnesses such as rheumatic disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, and CAD. Other factors were associated with an increased rate of stress testing before PCI. these included: being black or having a history of chest pain. In examining the physicians themselves, the patients of physicians who performed more PCI procedures tended to have lower rates of stress testing. (Medical News Today)
Stress tests to confirm need for cardiac stent not occurring in most patients, new study finds Oct 15, 2008
The team also found that patient characteristics were associated with the likelihood of a patient receiving a stress test prior to PCI. Female sex, age of 85 years or older and having co-existing illnesses such as rheumatic disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease were associated with a decreased likelihood of stress testing prior to PCI. Yet, being of the black race and having a history of chest pain was associated with an increased... (EurekAlert!)
