Vaccines have been much in the news lately. Here, from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), an agency of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are some of the shots that you should think about getting: COVID-19 Vaccine COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that causes symptoms such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Older… Continue reading Vaccines and Older Adults
Tag: pneumonia
A Public Policy and Increased Patient Deaths
A policy that was supposed to reduce hospital readmissions via financial penalties was linked to a significant increase in post-discharge death for patients who had heart failure and pneumonia, according to a large-scale study. The investigation was conducted by researchers in Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s (BIDMC) Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology. It… Continue reading A Public Policy and Increased Patient Deaths
Vaccines to Get if You’re Over 50
Do you think that immunizations are strictly kid stuff? Think again: While you likely got plenty of “shots” as a child, you need more after age 50. Advancing age can render you more susceptible to certain illnesses, making it necessary to get inoculated against them. In other cases, the immunity gained from a long-ago vaccine… Continue reading Vaccines to Get if You’re Over 50
For Older Adults, Vitamin D Reduces Respiratory Infections but May Increase Falls
Researchers at the Health in Aging Foundation concluded that a monthly high dose of vitamin D reduced the number of respiratory infections in older adults but increased the number of falls they experienced. The study was published in January 2017 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Because vitamin D plays an important role in… Continue reading For Older Adults, Vitamin D Reduces Respiratory Infections but May Increase Falls
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
Predicting Older Adults’ Risk of Developing Pneumonia
In a study published in July 2016 in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society, researchers developed a “prediction score” to help healthcare professionals determine which older adults might be most at risk for developing pneumonia. A release from the society notes that pneumonia is a leading cause of sickness and death among older adults. About… Continue reading Predicting Older Adults’ Risk of Developing Pneumonia
Good Bacteria Might Help Prevent Middle Ear Infections and Pneumonia
A January 2016 study from the Forsyth Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts is helping to shed more light on the important connections among the diverse bacteria in our microbiome. According to research published in mBio, scientists at Forsyth, led by Dr. Katherine P. Lemon, along with their collaborator at Vanderbilt University, have demonstrated that a harmless… Continue reading Good Bacteria Might Help Prevent Middle Ear Infections and Pneumonia
ICU Is Best for Older, Low-Risk Patients With Pneumonia
Among Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with pneumonia, intensive care unit (ICU) admission of patients, which appeared to be discretionary, was associated with improved survival and no significant differences in Medicare spending or hospital costs compared with patients admitted to general wards. That is the finding of a University of Michigan study published in the September 22/29… Continue reading ICU Is Best for Older, Low-Risk Patients With Pneumonia
Anticholinergic Drugs Linked to Risk Of Pneumonia in the Elderly
In a study of more than 3,000 older patients living in the community, not in nursing homes, taking commonly used medications with anticholinergic effects was associated with a significantly higher risk for developing pneumonia. The study was done by the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle, Washington and published in March 2015 the Journal of… Continue reading Anticholinergic Drugs Linked to Risk Of Pneumonia in the Elderly
Toward Inhalable Vaccines for Flu, Pneumonia & TB
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University have uncovered a novel approach to creating inhalable vaccines using nanoparticles that shows promise for targeting lung-specific diseases such as influenza, pneumonia and tuberculosis. A release from UNC explains that the work, led by Cathy Fromen and Gregory Robbins, members… Continue reading Toward Inhalable Vaccines for Flu, Pneumonia & TB
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
Respiratory Rate in Pneumonia Often Overlooked
Pneumonia, a severe lung infection, is the most common disease calling for hospital admission. More than one out of ten pneumonia patients die of the disease. Thus it is vital to predict accurately and to closely monitor the clinical course. Measuring the respiratory rate – the number of breaths a person takes in a minute – provides valuable information. However, far too little use is still being made of this vital sign in clinical practice, according to Richard Strauß and co-authors a study published in August 2014 in Deutsches Ärzteblatt.