Note: This is the third article in a series written in collaboration with respiratory therapist Mark W. Mangus Sr., RRT, RPFT, FAARC, and oxygen expert Ryan Diesem. This segment also includes contributions from Donna Frownfelter, PT, DPT, MA, CCS, RRT, FCCP, and Marion Mackles, PT, BS, LMT. The first two…
Having good heart and lung fitness in middle age reduces a person’s risk of developing, or dying, from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study shows. The results were published in the journal Thorax, in an article titled, “Midlife cardiorespiratory fitness and the long-term risk…
The drugstore company Walgreens has expanded its Find Care program to include chronic care management for people with diabetes, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The expansion will include partnerships with device manufacturers to give patients access to tools that will help them better monitor their…
Viral respiratory infections, like those caused by a cold or flu, may particularly aggravate symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to early data from a clinical trial testing the safety and effectiveness of SNG001, an inhaled interferon-beta therapy by Synairgen. These latest preliminary findings in the…
The overall efficacy and safety profile of erdosteine is superior to other commonly used mucolytic agents for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study shows. The study, “Efficacy and safety profile of mucolytic/antioxidant agents in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a comparative analysis across…
Australian researcher David Geoffrey Chapman has been awarded $100,000 by the American Thoracic Society (ATS) Foundation and ResMed to investigate how non-invasive ventilation can help improve sleep patterns in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) overlap syndrome. Dr. Chapman, BSc, PhD,…
A finger-prick blood test could help guide antibiotic prescriptions for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during a flare-up, avoiding unnecessary use of antibiotics, a clinical trial shows. This simple test detects C-reactive protein (CRP), a blood marker of inflammation and bacterial infections, and resulted in 20%…
Long-term use of low-dose macrolide antibiotics is safe and potentially effective in reducing acute exacerbations in younger patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are at risk for poorer outcomes, a review study suggests. Although this therapeutic regimen was found to be generally well-tolerated, with few side effects,…
Scientists have found data to support an optimal threshold for lung function that can accurately diagnose clinically significant airflow obstruction and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Using information from adults across the U.S., researchers found that a 70% ratio of two spirometry indicators of lung function proved as…
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are more susceptible to bone fractures and osteoporosis than those of the same age and sex without this disease, a study reports. The findings were published in the journal BMJ Open, in the article “Predicting fracture risk in patients with chronic…
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