Former smokers and people who smoke relatively few cigarettes per day may experience a faster decline in lung function than people who have never smoked, although they still have a slower decline in lung function than current smokers, a new study suggests. The study, “Lung function decline in former smokers and low-intensity current smokers: a…
High levels of ozone and wood smoke each increase the risk for lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among smokers and nonsmokers alike, two new studies find. People with COPD gradually lose their ability to draw a decent breath. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause, but COPD also can be caused by regular…
New evidence shows that legitimate THC vaping products are also making people sick, meaning that illegal, off-brand vapes aren’t the only products to blame for the current outbreak of vaping-related illnesses. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reports that at least six patients suspected of having the vaping lung illness purchased THC products at licensed…
In adults in the United States, sex hormones play a role in gender differences in asthma, and obesity modifies the effects of these hormones, according to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Elevated levels of free testosterone in serum are associated with reduced odds of asthma in women, elevated…
The pendulum swing in the reputation of Juul Labs — from a less-harmful cigarette alternative to a public danger — has engulfed the vaping company in crisis. The company ousted its CEO, suspended advertising and committed to back the Trump administration’s eventual regulations on e-cigarettes. Taken together, the developments underscore how Juul is scrambling to preserve its core…
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a medical condition where damage to the airway leads to a chronic inflammatory response. In Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a medical condition where damage to the airway leads to a chronic inflammatory response. In th this case study, scientists from Peking and Shanghai identified novel protein biomarkers…
Steroid inhalers commonly used to prevent asthma attacks may not work any better than a placebo for many people with mild asthma, according to recent research. Synthetic corticosteroids mimic the steroid hormone cortisol, reducing inflammation in the airways. But the drug targets a type of inflammation that may be found in far fewer patients than…
Parents who smoke cigarettes put their children and others around them at risk for bronchitis, pneumonia and a variety of other ailments. But a new study offers another method to help them quit lighting up. Researchers tested a smoking cessation program in five states in the South and the Midwest, finding it had success in…