If you have COPD, new research suggests you might want to pay close attention to getting good sleep. Poor slumber significantly increased the risk of life-threatening flare-ups of breathing problems in people with incurable, progressive lung disease, investigators reported. “Among those who already have COPD, knowing how they sleep at night will tell me much more…
Seasonal allergies are a nuisance for most people. For people with COPD, however, any extra condition that makes breathing difficult is automatically more serious. According to a 2012 study at the Johns Hopkins Allergy and Asthma Center, people who had COPD and seasonal allergies experienced worsened respiratory symptoms such as coughing and wheezing. They were also significantly…
Being exposed to pesticides at work increases the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a large U.K.-based study has found. This was true regardless of whether people smoked or had asthma; smoking and asthma are both known risk factors for COPD. “Focused preventive strategies for workers exposed to pesticides can prevent the associated COPD burden,”…
Agency Supports Development of Complex Generic Drug-Device Combination Product to Improve Competition and Access to More Affordable Medicine This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first generic of Symbicort (budesonide and formoterol fumarate dihydrate) Inhalation Aerosol for the treatment of two common pulmonary health conditions: asthma in patients six years of age…
Patients with both heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) face a unique set of challenges and impairments compared with those with just one of the diseases, according to a new report. The study, published in Scientific Reports, offers new insights to help physicians better treat patients with overlapping conditions. Corresponding author Audrey Borghi-Silva, PhD, MSc, of the…
Evidence suggests higher levels of iron in pulmonary macrophages heightens the risk of infectious exacerbations. A new report yielded fresh insights into the role of pulmonary iron in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), suggesting that excess iron in pulmonary macrophages may increase the risk of recurrent airway infection. Writing in the journal Respiratory Research, corresponding author…
An international team of researchers has published a new framework, dubbed the Rome proposal, for defining and classifying exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). “The ‘Rome Proposal’ represents an important milestone for better understanding and treating a very important and troubling component of COPD progression and, the prospect for more accurate treatment and better…
Millions of people around the world have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Most people experience mild or no side effects after vaccination. Severe side effects are rare for the three COVID-19 vaccines approved in the United States. Currently, the latest scientific evidence suggests that people with asthma are not at an elevated risk of developing side…