Asthma

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    MedicalNewsToday: Asthma

  • NOVAVAX Reports Additional Positive Data From Its Trivalent Seasonal Influenza (VLP) Vaccine Clinical Study In Healthy Adults

    9 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am
    Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) announced new data from a clinical study that began in May of 2009 among healthy adults 18 to 49 years of age with Novavax's trivalent seasonal influenza Virus-like Particle (VLP) vaccine. The vaccine matched the influenza strains recommended for the 2008-2009 influenza season including H1N1 A/Brisbane/59/2007, H3N2 A/Brisbane/10/2007, and B/Florida/04/2006 strains...

  • Comment On Link Between HRT And Asthma

    9 Feb 2010 | 12:00 am
    Leanne Metcalf, Director of Research at Asthma UK, says: 'There is now a large body of evidence suggesting a link between female hormones, including the use of HRT, the development of asthma and its severity. However this is the first large-scale and long-term study to suggest that it is oestrogen-only HRT which significantly increases the risk...

  • Doctors Need More Freedom Of Choice In Rescue Asthma Therapy

    9 Feb 2010 | 12:00 am
    A recent electronic survey of US asthma experts demonstrated the need for better access to levalbuterol, the fast-acting medicine used to treat the narrowing of airways (bronchospasm) caused by asthma, for selected patients...

  • SciClone And Sigma-Tau Announce Additional Positive Results In Clinical Study Examining ZADAXIN's Ability To Enhance Response To H1N1 Vaccine

    8 Feb 2010 | 5:00 am
    SciClone Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCLN) and its partner Sigma-Tau S.p.A., announced additional topline results in a clinical study evaluating the potential of ZADAXIN® (thymalfasin) to enhance immune response to the MF59 adjuvanted H1N1 influenza monovalent vaccine, Focetria™ from Novartis...

  • Swine Flu Pandemic Weekly Report, Wales

    7 Feb 2010 | 12:00 am
    Key points: - The clinical consultation rate for influenza - not necessarily swine flu - in Wales during the week ending 31 January fell to 3.5 cases of flu-like illness diagnosed by GPs out of every 100,000 people in Wales. It was 4.8 per 100,000 in the previous week. Current levels of flu in Wales are below the usual level for this time of year...
 
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    MyAsthmaCentral.com

  • Too Little Vitamin D May Worsen Asthma

    2 Feb 2010 | 8:31 am
    Asthmatics who have low levels of Vitamin D have worse symptoms than those who have a better vitamin D level, researchers say.

  • Childhood Asthma Linked to Pregnancy Virus

    2 Feb 2010 | 8:11 am
    A common viral condition in pregnant women may double the risk of childhood asthma in babies born prematurely, a new study has found.

  • Humidifiers May Improve Winter Breathing

    27 Jan 2010 | 10:06 am
    Low humidity in the winter has been linked to an increased risk of colds and other infections, itchy dry skin, and breathing problems.

  • Cold Weather Can Spark Asthma

    27 Jan 2010 | 9:51 am
    Frigid weather can spark dangerous asthma attacks, experts say, and many people may not know they're susceptible to the complication until they step outside.

  • Infant Swimming Tied to Asthma

    27 Jan 2010 | 9:41 am
    Children who begin swimming lessons before the age of two may be susceptible to a common lung infection, as well as asthma later in life.
 
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    Asthma Mom

  • Friday Links – BPA, Infection = Possible In-Utero Risk Factors

    Amy
    5 Feb 2010 | 7:25 am
    BPA: The Hits Just Keep on Comin’ Bisphenol-A, the chemical in plastic bottles that appears to play a role in reproductive health problems, diabetes and cancer, might contribute to asthma as well. This research on mice suggests exposure to BPA during pregnancy ups babies’ risk for the disorder. Infection During Pregnancy Linked to Asthma in Preemies Today’s the day for risk factorss associated with pregnancy, apparently. Already linked to preterm birth, an infection called chorioamnionitis is somewhat common in pregnant women and sometimes goes undiagnosed, for lack of…

  • Lancet Finally Retracts the Wakefield Vaccine Paper

    Amy
    3 Feb 2010 | 12:32 pm
    Andrew Wakefield’s deeply flawed study that generated the MMR vaccine/autism scare and contributed to the anti-vaccination movement was retracted this week by The Lancet, the British medical journal where it first appeared in 1998. The British General Medical Council labeled Wakefield himself irresponsible and dishonest in his research last week, as you may have read here or elsewhere. The GMC cited, among other disturbing practices, Wakefield’s paying children for blood samples at his son’s birthday party and subjecting children to unnecessary procedures like spinal taps…

  • Tuesdays are Your Turn – Allergy Fun

    Amy
    2 Feb 2010 | 7:52 am
    Except for dust mites, my daughter doesn’t have any allergies. Intrinsic triggers tend to generate her flares instead. But how about you? What allergies are you/your child living with? Related and making today a twofer: Which one of them is the worst trigger?

  • Normalcy

    Amy
    1 Feb 2010 | 9:21 am
    I’ve not been too active blog-wise lately because these are the weeks of AG. Seriously, check it out: 1. Last week, the kid performed an early morning audition for her school’s spring musical, and this week’s the callback. “Callbacks?” you say. “In elementary school?” OH YES, is my answer. The school music teacher doesn’t play when it comes to extracurricular productions, apparently. You should’ve seen last semester’s Christmas play. It looked and sounded more elaborate than you might expect, given that it featured only the younger…

  • Friday Links – Vitamin D Again, Anti-MMR Doctor Rebuke

    Amy
    29 Jan 2010 | 8:31 am
    Low Levels of Vitamin D = Lower Lung Function, Steroid Effectiveness National Jewish adds to the body of research linking vitamin D levels and asthma with this study, and it appears the connection is strong enough to warrant the possible use of supplements. (Previous posting on vitamin D and asthma research here and here.) Score One for Actual Science, One Less for the Dangerous Anti-Vaccination Folks In other words, the UK’s General Medical Council found Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the man behind the MMR/autism rumors, “dishonest” and “irresponsible” in his research…
 
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    All Roads Lead to Oneself

  • Productive Weekend

    7 Feb 2010 | 7:38 am
    This weekend has been pretty productive. I've finished my cases for clinical pathology, wrote a surgery report on a fictional dog who swallowed a sock, did my part of my pharmacology group project (thinking about getting a head start and making PowerPoint slides for it), read two chapters for systemic pathology, went over three lectures of virology, and went over pharmacology lectures. However, that doesn't mean my list is any smaller. I've got an exam on Tuesday I need to study for, another virology lecture to take notes on, another pharmacology lecture to take notes on, and I need to get on…

  • This Week in Training

    7 Feb 2010 | 7:31 am
    Or I should title this post--"This Week In Not Training"I ran on Monday, but took the rest of the week off. Last Saturday night my stomach was irked and that followed into Sunday. Monday morning I woke up doing okay so I ran, but since then I've had to take it easy. I'm hoping next week/this week will be better but I'm not holding my breath. My plan is to walk tomorrow morning and see how it goes.Basically this week was a huge cut back week. Total mileage: 3 miles.

  • State of the Body--GI Version

    5 Feb 2010 | 4:24 pm
    I had a follow up appointment with my GI doc this afternoon and had an in depth conversation about the future and changing treatment plans. The first part of the conversation revolved around the small bowel bacterial overgrowth, which seeing that I responded to the Cipro Dr. L is pretty sure that was what was going on. The plan, as it stands right now, is to wait until the symptoms crop up again and then hit them with another dose of antibiotics (but a different one). Then repeat the cycle. He said it could be anywhere from one month to four months between treatments it just depends on how…

  • Access Denied

    5 Feb 2010 | 7:19 am
    I'd be studying right now, but there is no place quiet in the building to do so and I'm rather unmotivated to try and concentrate while listening to a meeting between Dr. J and the students presenting the case for Tuesday's case studies. So I thought I'd write a little bit about learning, knowledge, and remembering what you learn.   I walked into VBS 106 this morning and read the dry erase board. It said "atresia ani." If you had asked me what the term for the congenital defect of lacking an anus was I couldn't have told you, but the moment I saw those words the photos from pathology…

  • It Is The Little Things

    5 Feb 2010 | 5:52 am
    I'm a creature of habit. I like my environment to be the same all the time, so when I come into the classroom in the morning and the tables are rearranged I go a little bananas. That happened last week, and after investigating I found out it shouldn't have been rearranged. We sit in teams for Clinical Pathology and the tables are supposed to be arranged in a specific order so we have our teams together. To say the room is tight is an understatement. We have 24 people crowded in a small temporary classroom and the tables have to be just right. Putting them back where they belong made me a…
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    Respiratory 101

  • Question

    keepbreathing
    1 Feb 2010 | 7:48 pm
    Anybody live in the Chicago area out there? I have some questions for you. Fire an email to anonymoustherapist at gmail dot com. Thanks readers!

  • That rarest of moments:

    keepbreathing
    29 Jan 2010 | 9:19 am
    I recently had a patient in the ICU who I really enjoyed caring for. He was a small and shriveled old man, but despite his shrunken old body, he was mentally acute. People like that are some of my favorite patients, because they’re usually nice if you treat them well and they can have some fascinating stories from the days of old. When I came in in the morning, he was intubated but wide awake, huge glasses perched atop his nose. The massive eyewear and the long ET tube gave him the appearance of some kind of odd moth with a long proboscis.I introduced myself, explained out weaning…

  • Thanks!

    keepbreathing
    29 Jan 2010 | 9:09 am
    Thanks to everybody for your responses to my massive existential head-banging post. A lot of useful insight and interesting perspective, which I very much enjoy. So, dear readers, thanks for your contributions; without them this would just be an exercise in pointless scribbling. More posting to resume shortly. But I do appreciate the comments and the feedback. I have been struggling a little bit with my perspective and my attitude lately and am trying to change all that. I’ll keep you updated as long as you keep reading.

  • That’s a new one

    keepbreathing
    24 Jan 2010 | 5:24 am
    The Pime: 0705. The Place: The Medical ICU at Sunny Flats Medical Center. It was early in the morning. I was barely awake, sitting in the cubbyhole that the ICU lets us borrow, sucking down a hot cup of coffee while staring mindlessly at my worklist. A sudden commotion caught my attention, and I stood, stretched, and walked out to the unit. A shudder hit me as I saw Drama Nurse guiding a bed into an empty room. A befuddled floor nurse and a CNA pushed the bed from behind. The patient looked simply abysmal; mouth open, eyes rolled back, paradoxical breathing. I turned around, got an intubation…

  • Funny:

    keepbreathing
    23 Jan 2010 | 5:41 pm
    Signs of Imminent Admission. Awesome.
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    Respiratory Therapy Cave

  • The ideal Smoking Cessation Program

    7 Feb 2010 | 10:00 pm
    Another responsibility laid upon us respiratory therapists is educating our patients who smoke on the importance of quitting. Most smoking cessation programs are fully reimbursed by most insurance companies, Medicaid and Medicare.I always felt I was overstepping my bounds telling my patients they ought to quit. That was until I saw the latest statistics. The fact is, 70% of smokers say a health care professional has never told them to quit, and yet 70% of smokers say they want to quit.Likewise, with the help of a clinical professional, the odds of a person quitting doubles. On top of that,…

  • Bronchodilator defenders

    6 Feb 2010 | 11:19 pm
    Some RTs Will defend useless treatments tooth and nail. They don't want to believe their livelihood is based on doing something that has no value, no purpose, and no scientific benefit to the patient -- and that spreads germs.For now on we'll call these RTs bronchodilator defenders. They, like many doctors, believe a bronchodilator is of benefit to any lungsounds they find that are annoying. They also feel as though they are doing something to help the patient, when they might as well be nebulizing water for most of them.The FDA has now made a recommendation that all doctors stop ordering…

  • DR Creed: Bronchodilators treat inflammation too

    6 Feb 2010 | 2:14 am
    The following might seem like nonsense to thinkers like you and me, but the Real Physician's Creed teaches doctors otherwise. Heed, what follows is suruptitious wisdom previously shared only with physicians.Page81 Section B6While inflammation was mentioned in the previous section as an indication for bronchodilator, we decided to add this section due to questions ad nauseum regarding the use of bronchodilaotrs as such.We educated folk know that bronchodilators are, well, bronchodilators. They, in essence, dilate bronchioles, which are the air passages in our lungs. Actually, what they do is…

  • RT Cave rules for PRN treatments

    5 Feb 2010 | 2:31 am
    So you have PRN (as needed) treatments ordered on a patient. How much time and attention do you give this patient?Funny thing is, there are many RTs who work don't even bother checking these patients. They wait for the patient or nurse to call. I suppose, in a way, if you absolutely know the treatment is not indicated, this is fine.However, there is some liability in that. If you have a PRN treatment, you must at least LOOK at the patient and chart.Besides, sometimes a doctor respects the RT department so much that they order for PRN treatments even on patients with otherwise healthy lungs…

  • COPD Q&A

    4 Feb 2010 | 9:21 am
    The following are quesions sent to me from COPD patients:Question: Is there a treatment for copious secretions? I've been given different diganoses by different doctors...COPD, asthma, chronic bronchitis.My worst symtom is copious amounts of mucous. At times I have been on 5 different meds, but none of them get rid of the mucous. Looking for any advice about natural supplements or your favorite med that helps with this. I\'m already taking mucinex, either in pill or cough syrup form. Helps, but doesn\'t get rid of it. I cough up about 1/4 cup in the morning, then it continues all day long.My…
 
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    WordPress Tag: Asthma

  • // worse ;;

    Hikari-chan
    8 Feb 2010 | 9:07 pm
    I didn’t like school today. Not the work or anything… my health. I woke up to a sore rig

  • 100208 – Monday Ketchup

    roofingbird
    8 Feb 2010 | 3:25 pm
    Yesterday, a coin initiated the Super Bowl XLIV. Today it blasted into outer space. NASA still has panache. Photo by nasaimages.org Space Shuttle Blasts off on Last Night Flight Shuttle Endeavour blasts off on last planned night launch, taking new room to space station By MARCIA DUNN The Associated Press CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. [Endeavour and six astronauts rocketed into orbit Monday on what's likely the last nighttime launch for the shuttle program, hauling a new room and observation deck for the International Space Station....] http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=9774512 You know, I…

  • Snow

    Angelique
    8 Feb 2010 | 1:07 pm
    I am so sick today. So nauseated. I woke up in a panic this morning choking to death, it felt like I

  • Stories from the past, part one: A red balloon and yellow medicine

    Becca
    8 Feb 2010 | 10:25 am
    Those of you who follow me on twitter may have seen my request for blogfood, and Kerri came up with a really good one: “Stories from the past”. I was first diagnosed with asthma when I was around 5 years old. Before I was diagnosed I had the typical asthmatic symptoms (minus the wheeze). I coughed all night without waking myself but the dark rings around my eyes (and my mum’s!) showed neither of us was getting much sleep. Mum took me to the Doctors and I was given a peak flow meter and at the next appointment I was diagnosed: asthma. I don’t really remember any of…

  • Oh, Baby! Random Super Bowl Snippets & Apertures

    Susan
    8 Feb 2010 | 9:38 am
    Super Bowl XLIV Oh, baby, that was an enjoyable Super Bowl XLIV game last night! And I’m not just saying that because the team I was rooting for, the New Orleans Saints, won. I’m a fan of well-played, exciting football games, which the 31-17 Saints’ victory over the Indianapolis Colts was. And any team gutsy enough to start the second half with an onside kick deserves to win! The Colts defense makes a Jeremy Shockey sandwich. Our family’s Super Bowl experience was divided into two parts. We pulled on our social pants and spent the first half at a party at our disc golf…
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    Asthma Zone

  • Gift Ideas For Allergy Sufferers Part I

    admin2
    8 Feb 2010 | 4:30 am
    Allergies can be notoriously difficult to live with, and if you decide to take a little care and give a little thought to the kind of gift you want to give an allergy sufferer, it may just be highly appreciated: Gift a Plant: A plant is an excellent gift in any case, a living breathing thing and lovely to look at. For an allergy sufferer it is particularly a good idea because plants are natural air purifiers which will likely clear the air of allergens and airborne toxins. Plants such as rubber, spider plants, and lilies are the sort of house plants that will make great gifts for an allergy…

  • Herbal Remedies May Not Be Answer For Asthma, Say Researchers

    pnreddy1
    6 Feb 2010 | 10:14 am
    A new study has shown that asthma sufferers who use herbal medicine have poorer life quality and increased symptoms. In the study it was seen that those asthma sufferers who used herbal remedies used prescribed inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) less than others, who were not using them. In other words asthma sufferers using herbal remedies are less likely to take their prescribed medications. The study found that those sufferers who used herbal remedies were: 1. Younger 2. Were more likely to have been intubated or hospitalized for asthma 3. Were more worried about any possible negative impact of…

  • Remodeling? Pointers For The Allergic

    pnreddy1
    3 Feb 2010 | 9:11 am
    Sometimes we don’t realize how many of the allergens that impact us are found around the house. Make sure that you know what the allergy triggers are for you or your family members and keep the following in mind if planning to remodel as per a helpful list set out here: Cut out carpeting where possible, particularly in the basement Solid wood flooring is excellent, MDF and engineered products, not so much Porcelain sinks in the bathroom are easy to clean and don’t grow mold Use special microfilters and HEPA/Ultraviolet air treatment systems if possible Get ductwork cleaned professionally…

  • Allergic To Chocolate? How To Find Out?

    pnreddy1
    3 Feb 2010 | 2:28 am
    According to this article put together by Health and Fitness Report about chocolate allergy, we are told to pay attention to the other ingredients of the chocolate consumed. It is stressed that the ingredients of any chocolate consumed should be checked to see whether it is the chocolate itself that is causing the allergy or whether it is other items such as the sweetener, milk, nuts, berries, caffeine, soy or wheat that could be the culprit. Some of the common chocolate allergy symptoms are: A sharp headache may be experienced soon after consuming chocolate Breathing problems may be…

  • Panic Asthma Attacks Can Be Cured By Special Attention And Right Combination Of Medical Care

    admin2
    1 Feb 2010 | 5:20 am
    Asthma has become very prevalent in our society. Experts believe that 1 to 2 percent of children develop asthma during their formative years. My son has struggled with the problem for nearly 10 years and it is very hard on young people. Some symptoms that you have to look out for are long bouts of coughing at night or early in the morning; you can hear a wheezing sound when your child is breathing out and also you can see that he is lazy and lethargic, not wanting to participate in games or other type of physical activities that your child used to enjoy. However, studies have shown that…
 
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    Allergy Notes

  • Immunotherapy Against Allergic Rhinitis - State of the Art 2010 Review

    Ves Dimov, M.D.
    8 Feb 2010 | 5:46 am
    Allergic rhinitis is the most prevalent type I allergy in industrialized countries. Pollen scattering from trees or grasses often induces seasonal allergic rhinitis, which is also known as pollinosis or hay fever. Impaired performance due to pollinosis and/or medication used for treating pollinosis is considered to be an important reason for the loss of concentration and productivity in the workplace. Antigen-specific immunotherapy is an only available curative treatment against allergic rhinitis. Subcutaneous injection of allergens (SCIT) with or without adjuvant has been commonly used as an…

  • Nut allergy decreases quality of life of both children and parents, epinephrine auto-injector reduces anxiety

    Ves Dimov, M.D.
    5 Feb 2010 | 6:27 am
    Nut allergy is known to impact on the quality of life (QoL) and anxiety of both the allergic child and their parents. 41 nut allergic children (age 6-16 yrs) and their mothers completed questionnaires to assess maternal and children's QoL, anxiety and stress. Children with nut allergy had poorer emotional, social, and psychological QoL compared to healthy normative data. This was not influenced by the severity of previous reactions. Mother and child reported lower anxiety when the child was prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector. Prescribing auto-injectors was associated with reduced…

  • Why Do So Many Athletes, and Winter Olympians Especially, Have Asthma?

    Ves Dimov, M.D.
    4 Feb 2010 | 7:05 am
    From the NYTimes: Most experts think that the problem is not with the coldness of the air but with the "dryness." Exercise-induced asthma has been diagnosed in as many 50% of all elite cross-country skiers and almost as many world-class ice skaters and hockey players. It’s far more common in winter athletes than in those who compete in the summer, although 17% of Olympic-level distance runners have been given the same diagnosis. Exercise-induced asthma is not quite the same condition as asthma. The “preferred term” for exercise-induced asthma is exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, or…

  • IgE against Ara h2 can distinguish between peanut sensitization and peanut allergy

    Ves Dimov, M.D.
    3 Feb 2010 | 4:50 am
    From MedPage Today: "Standard tests" showed that 10% of eight-year-olds in a British cohort were sensitive to peanuts but only one in 50 was actually allergic when the children were challenged with the legumes. Standard methods were defined as a skin prick test producing a wheal whose diameter was at least three millimeters greater than a negative control, and/or a IgE response of at least 0.2 kiloUnits of peanut allergen per liter of serum. The serum immunoglobulin E (IgE ) response to a single peanut protein, dubbed Ara h 2, was able to distinguish between the sensitivity and allergy in…

  • Pregnant women who consumed a lot of green and yellow vegetables, and citrus fruit had a lower risk of eczema in their babies

    Ves Dimov, M.D.
    2 Feb 2010 | 5:10 am
    Two previous studies showed inverse relationships between maternal vitamin E and zinc intake during pregnancy and the risk of wheeze and/or asthma in the offspring. This study included 763 Japanese mother and their children, and investigated the association between maternal intake of vegetables, fruit, and selected antioxidants during pregnancy and the risk of wheeze and eczema in the offspring aged 16–24 months. Higher maternal intake of green and yellow vegetables, citrus fruit, and β-carotene during pregnancy was associated with a reduced risk of eczema, but not wheeze.
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  • Knocked down, but not defeated

    Stephen
    5 Feb 2010 | 12:23 pm
    Thanks everyone for your support and especially to Dr Wensel for staying in close contact during my 98th hospitalization. Thanks also to ALL the wonderful nurses who took care of me..You guys are awesome! Most of all, thank you to my dear Douglas who goes through hell every time I get sick. I’m so sorry I put him through this. Yes, living with a brittle asthmatic is definitely not for wimps. Im starting to sound like a broken record with these hospital reports, but no kidding, this flare-up was no picnic. It ranks up there as one of the worse on record for me. On a scale of 1-10,…

  • Yes….I’m Still Alive

    Stephen
    2 Feb 2010 | 5:39 pm
    Sorry for the silence. This one kinda snuck up on me. I ended up in the slammer very very sick, but am starting to improve. I’ll write more after I get home. (It’s really difficult to type when you have a ton of IVs in your hands and arms). Thanks for the cards,calls and wishes.

  • New Asthma Forum

    Stephen
    29 Jan 2010 | 9:37 am
    I spend so much at other websites asthma forums, I thought Id start my own right here on my blog. Hope you’ll check it out and participate. You can get there from the “Forum” tab or here: Please feel free to post questions and start new topics.

  • Tracheal Who?

    Stephen
    26 Jan 2010 | 8:01 am
    Ever since I got out of the hospital for this last flare-up, Ive been noticing that when I take deep breaths in, I can hear (and feel) a slight inspiratory wheeze or airy sound coming from somewhere in my throat. More bothersome than the sound, I can actually feel some resistance as well. It feels like I’m breathing through a narrowed tube. At first I thought that because I was weaning off the pred too fast, that my airways were rebelling by tightening up, but this sensation feels different than regular bronchospasm. Although very mild, it feels more like a permanent constricture in, or…

  • Canadian style lunch with a cat from outer space

    Stephen
    25 Jan 2010 | 12:35 pm
    A Canadian style lunch, complements of my friend
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