spirometry

October 16, 2018

Triple Therapy Improves COPD Exacerbations Regardless of Reversibility Status

Single-inhaler triple therapy fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol (FF/UMEC/VI; Trelegy Ellipta) continues to boast positive findings from the Informing the Pathway of COPD Treatment (IMPACT) study. In new data to be presented at the 2018 CHEST Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has reported their first-of-its-kind triple therapy inhaler significantly reduced the annual rate of moderate-to-severe…

October 03, 2018

Mouse Study: Lung Inflammation from Childhood Asthma May Be Linked to Later Anxiety

Research has shown that childhood asthma is associated with a two to three times higher chance of developing an internalizing disorder such as anxiety or depression, but the exact reasons for this have remained a mystery. In a new mouse study at Pennsylvania State University, the researchers suggest that persistent lung inflammation may be one…

September 05, 2018

Testosterone Replacement Therapy Can Slow Men’s COPD, Study Finds

Testosterone replacement therapy can help slow the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in men, a new study shows. Men with COPD tend to experience shortness of breath, leading physicians to prescribe them long-term steroid-based medications. While these medications help treat pulmonary symptoms, they are also associated with testosterone dysfunction. Accordingly, previous studies have shown that…

August 18, 2018

Research Suggests New Mechanism at Play in Some Severe Asthma Cases

A newly published study offers a better understanding of the mechanisms at play in a subset of patients with severe asthma. Scientists hope the new insights will help direct the development of more tailored approaches to asthma therapy. For the study, a team of investigators from several US academic research hospitals set out to better…

August 06, 2018

Smoking Banned in Public Housing Nationwide

Smokers can no longer light up in or near public housing facilities in the U.S. due to a new rule that went into effect July 31. The nationwide ban on smoking in public housing was implemented nearly two years after the rule was passed by the Obama administration in 2016. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)…

July 24, 2018

Unraveling the Relationship Between COPD and Stroke

Emerging evidence suggests that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could be a risk factor for stroke.1,2 COPD is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, and up to 80% of patients with the disease have at least one comorbidity.2 Many of the commonalities between COPD and stroke portend poor outcomes for patients with both diseases: age, indoor…

July 07, 2018

Causes of Shortness of Breath During Pregnancy

According to a 2015 study, an estimated 60 to 70 percent of women experience shortness of breath during pregnancy. Doctors often attribute this to the growing uterus pushing upward on the lungs and making it difficult to breathe. This article will explore this and other possible reasons for shortness of breath during pregnancy. We also cover…

June 14, 2018

A Chronic, Rare Lung Disease Causes More Than Just Irreversible Scarring of the Lungs

The American Lung Association offers resources and support for this serious, life-threatening lung disease Pulmonary fibrosis is a rare lung disease that causes irreversible scarring of the lungs, which can cause shortness of breath and a persistent cough, and progressively gets worse over time. And because there is no cure, a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis…