Blog

August 03, 2014

CDC Reports Annual Financial Cost of COPD to be $36 Billion in the United States

The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) announced the Online First publication of Total and State-Specific Medical and Absenteeism Costs of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Among Adults Aged 18 Years in the United States for 2010 and Projections Through 2020 in the journal CHEST. The report, presented by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control…

July 27, 2014

Yoga and COPD

In a recent publication of The Journal of Thoracic Disease, researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy of yoga training in COPD patients. Five randomized controlled trials involving 233 patients with COPD were studied.  The researchers found that yoga training lasting 3-9 months significantly improved the FEV1 and exercise capacity but…

July 20, 2014

6 Surprising Asthma Triggers

Chances are, you know someone with asthma — after all, about one in 12 people in the U.S. has the condition. Having asthma means to have airways that are inflamed, which makes them particularly sensitive to substances ranging from pollution to dust. Exposure to an asthma trigger can cause the narrowing and swelling of the airways,…

July 13, 2014

Obesity Increases the Risk of COPD Even for Non-Smokers

Obesity increases the risk and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), even for people who’ve never smoked before. A team of American and German researchers measured the waists, hips, body mass index (BMI), and physical activity of newly diagnosed COPD cases in the U.S., and published the clear link they found in the Canadian…

June 29, 2014

Kids and Exercise-induced Asthma

Kids who have exercise-induced asthma (EIA) develop asthma symptoms after vigorous activity, such as running, swimming, or biking. Some develop symptoms only after physical exertion, while others have additional asthma triggers. With the proper medications, most kids with EIA can play sports like any other child. In fact, asthma affects more than 20% of elite…

June 22, 2014

The Third Leading Cause of Death in the US

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that COPD is the THIRD leading cause of death in America. The third.  With heart disease and cancer taking the lead.  Approximately 15 million U.S. adults are estimated to have COPD.  When combining COPD with other health issues, this can be a serious problem in the lives…

June 15, 2014

The Silent Killer: CO Poisoning

First responders to a fire are trained to understand the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and are also trained to recognize potential signs and symptoms.  CO poisoning can go unrecognized and untreated, which can lead to long-term health problems. Know the Facts about CO poisoning: •    CO poisoning can be difficult to detect. CO…

June 08, 2014

Getting Your Patients to Go Tobacco Free

Every year in the U.S. over 392,000 people die from tobacco-caused disease, making it the leading cause of preventable death. Another 50,000 people die from exposure to secondhand smoke. Tragically, each day thousands of kids still pick up a cigarette for the first time. The cycle of addiction, illness and death continues. What can be…