Black children with asthma accessed community health centers (CHCs) less than white children, while Latino children (who prefer to speak either English or Spanish) were more likely to visit CHCs for acute, chronic, and preventive care overall, according to a new, large study. The pattern of low clinic utilization by Black children was accompanied by… Continue reading Racial Disparities Found in Pediatric Asthma Care
Tag: Asthma
Asthma: Triggers and Treatments
The bad news about asthma is that there’s no cure for it, and in most cases we don’t even know what causes it. The good news: There are ways you can reduce the number and severity of your attacks. You have to tailor your anti-asthma action plan to your own case, though, because not everyone… Continue reading Asthma: Triggers and Treatments
Is Snoring Ruining Your Love Life? Time to See The Dentist
If you have been banished to the guest room because when you snore your significant other thinks there is a 747 landing in the cul de sac, you might want to see the dentist. The sleep disorder most associated with loud snoring is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Studies have found that it is associated… Continue reading Is Snoring Ruining Your Love Life? Time to See The Dentist
Asthma Attacks Declining Among U.S. Children
Children with asthma in the U.S. are having fewer asthma attacks, missed school days, and visits to the hospital, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report, issued in February 2018, shows that the percentage of children with asthma who experienced one or more asthma attacks in… Continue reading Asthma Attacks Declining Among U.S. Children
Why Do Women Get Asthma More Frequently than Men?
The effects of sex hormones on lung cells may be causing women to have asthma at twice the rate of men, according to researchers from Vanderbilt University and Johns Hopkins. The investigators found that testosterone hindered a cell linked to asthma symptoms such as inflammation and mucus production in the lungs. The study, which analyzed… Continue reading Why Do Women Get Asthma More Frequently than Men?
Dogs May Help Protect Against Childhood Eczema and Asthma
Now there’s another reason to call dogs man’s best friend. Or maybe a child’s best friend. Research presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting shows that babies born in a home with a dog during a woman’s pregnancy receive protection from allergic eczema. A second study shows dogs… Continue reading Dogs May Help Protect Against Childhood Eczema and Asthma
New Asthma Biomarkers Identified From Lung Bacteria
Until now, research on the microbiome – the system of good and bad bacteria in the body – has been focused on digestive issues. But a new study shows that it may affect respiratory conditions as well. “Because the lungs continuously and automatically draw air, and any number of environmental agents, into the body, the… Continue reading New Asthma Biomarkers Identified From Lung Bacteria
Steroids May Do More Harm Than Good in Some Cases of Severe Asthma
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences and UPMC have uncovered the molecular mechanism underlying corticosteroid resistance in severe asthma. The new findings have important clinical implications, suggesting that corticosteroids, the main treatment for asthma, may worsen the disease in this group of patients. The research was published July 6TH 2017… Continue reading Steroids May Do More Harm Than Good in Some Cases of Severe Asthma
A Better Understanding of COPD and Genetics
Researchers have uncovered 13 new genetic regions that are linked to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The illness is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. Smoking still is the most important risk factor for COPD, but the discovery expands the understanding of the role genetics plays. The finding, by researchers from Brigham… Continue reading A Better Understanding of COPD and Genetics
Understanding Lung Problems
Lupe has smoked for over 45 years. This year she started having trouble keeping up with her 3-year-old grandson without gasping for air. She can no longer work in her garden without having coughing fits. Sometimes Lupe feels out of breath strolling through the market. Yet, Lupe was surprised when her doctor said she had… Continue reading Understanding Lung Problems
New Asthma Biomarkers Discovered
People with asthma have telltale molecules circulating in their blood, say researchers at Penn State College of Medicine. According to a release from Penn on April 13th 2016, the discovery could lead to the first diagnostic blood test for asthma, as well as more targeted treatments for the condition. The results were published in The… Continue reading New Asthma Biomarkers Discovered
Rescue Inhalers: New Approach Increases Mastery of Life-Saving Technique
A rescue inhaler can be a lifesaver during an asthma or COPD flare-up, but using a rescue inhaler is complicated and misuse is common, putting patients’ lives at risk. An education strategy, called teach-to-goal, may help patients use their inhalers properly during these critical times, according to research published online in March 2016 in the… Continue reading Rescue Inhalers: New Approach Increases Mastery of Life-Saving Technique
Older Asthma Patients at Increased Risk for Treatment Failure
Older patients with asthma are at increased risk for treatment failure, particularly those patients being treated with inhaled corticosteroids, according to a study done at the Asthma Program at National Jewish Health in Denver. The findings were published online ahead of print publication in June 2015 in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory… Continue reading Older Asthma Patients at Increased Risk for Treatment Failure
Mechanism of Toxin’s Inflammatory Effect on Lungs
A study released December 23rd 2014 describes a never-before-seen mechanism by which a bacterial toxin leads to severe inflammation in asthma and other acute and chronic pulmonary diseases. Researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio said the discovery could result in development of therapeutic strategies that improve health in individuals… Continue reading Mechanism of Toxin’s Inflammatory Effect on Lungs
E-Cigs Not Healthy
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic Division of Allergy and Immunology warn that although one of the initial “health benefits” proposed by e-cigarettes makers was that it would help those who smoke cigarettes cut back, that theory hasn’t been proven and there’s no evidence to support the claims. An article about the findings was published in the June 2014 issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).
Inhaler Reminders Improve Adherence
If you’re an asthma sufferer and you sometimes forget to use your inhaler, an electronic reminder could be the answer to keeping yourself on track. A study conducted by a research team at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia showed that reminders prompting asthma patients to take their control inhalers if they miss a dose significantly improved medication adherence, During the six-month investigation, patients receiving reminders took on average 73% of their prescribed doses compared to only 46% in patients who did not have reminders.
Corn, Canola, & Soybean Oils Damage Lungs
A Northwestern Medicine study published in the May 2014 issue of Respiratory Research reports that although vitamin E-rich olive and sunflower oils are associated with improved lung functions, the form of vitamin E in canola, soybean, and corn oils is associated with decreased lung function. The research ties the increasing consumption of supposedly healthy canola , soybean, and corn oils to the rising incidence of lung inflammation and, possibly, asthma.
Watch: Adult Onset Asthma Risk Factors
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