Among other side effects, smoking does cause blood vessels to constrict. This can lead to sometimes life-threatening events like a heart attack or stroke. Smoking is linked to a wide range of negative health effects, including heart disease. The chemicals in cigarette smoke irritate blood vessels, causing inflammation and swelling. Quitting smoking allows your heart…
The results suggest that some diseases that are considered non-communicable, such as cancer, could have a component that makes them transmissible by microorganisms in the digestive system. Here’s an unsettling fact: there are more bacterial cells in a person’s body (38 trillion) than human cells (30 trillion). One of the world’s gurus of microbiology, Frederic…
Fewer acute exacerbations, and better lung function were seen with a year of regular use People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may experience fewer acute disease exacerbations if they regularly use noninvasive ventilation at night, a small study in Greece reported. “Good” nighttime use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a…
A study aims to quantify the burden of current childhood asthma in the United States in association with smoke from indoor gas stoves. A study aimed to quantify the burden of current childhood asthma in the United States in association with smoke from indoor gas stoves. In light of recent growing public concerns over the safety of…
Those who smoke are much more likely to develop symptoms of COPD, but secondhand smoke can also be the cause. Treatments are available; in some cases, your lung tissue can regenerate. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a group of diseases that impact the health of your lungs and your ability to breathe….
National study shows cancer centers help patients stop smoking A nationwide team studied 44,000 smokers at 28 cancer centers. The researchers learned that if they could get those patients into evidence-based therapy — such as nicotine replacement, counseling, or both — they could help nearly one in five kick the habit and, in doing so,…
This flu season, as influenza cases pick up and experts weigh concerns about a possible surge in COVID-19 cases, children’s hospitals are already filling up with another viral threat: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The drastic and unusually early spike in respiratory infection is causing long waits for treatment and worries about a “tripledemic” of a surge…
A new report states that teens in the United States are smoking and drinking less as well as using fewer drugs. However, it also reports that teens are vaping more and using cannabis more often. Experts say social engagement and structured activities such as sports and music programs can be strong predictors of teen substance…