Weekly Newsletter From COPD-Support, Inc.
Volume 7, Issue 40
September 14, 2007
PULMONARY DISEASE HITS MORE NONSMOKERS
COPD... usually thought of as a smokers' disease ... is killing an
increasing number of nonsmokers, and its prevalence is higher than
previously estimated, according to a study in The Lancet medical journal.
Allergies, tuberculosis and poor ventilation can cause the disease, the
fifth-leading cause of death in high-income countries. A shift in the way
people view COPD may help save more lives, an accompanying editorial said.
Because of its stigma as a self-inflicted disease, COPD is often under
diagnosed and under-treated, scientists, including A. Sonia Buist, a medical
professor at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, said. "If every
smoker in the world were to stop smoking today, the rates of COPD would
probably continue to increase for the next 20 years." A study by the
scientists of more than 9,000 volunteers, randomly selected, showed that one
in 10 adults 40 suffered from advanced stages of COPD. Prevalence of the
disease increased with age and was similar among people who had never smoked
compared with participants who had smoked for a certain period. The results
showed a higher prevalence than previous studies of the disease, Buist said.
COPD causes inflammation of the main airways in the lungs and a buildup of
mucus, leading to shortness of breath and a persistent cough. More than 15
percent of COPD occurs in people who have never smoked, according to The
Lancet editorial.
Read the remainder of this article
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
-LUNG ON A CHIP
-THE HAZARDS OF AIR FRESHENERS
-CHANGES IN ALBUTEROL INHALERS FOR ASTHMA
-CLEANING YOUR INHALER
-FIVE MUST-DO'S WHEN A LOVED ONE IS ILL
-DIRTY GIRL OR QUEEN OF HYGIENE?
-PNEUMONIA AND LUNG INFECTION QUIZ
-EMAIL FROM SUBSCRIBERS
-MISCELLANEOUS
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SOURCES: News items summarized in The COPD-NEWS are taken from secondary
sources believed to be reliable. However, the COPD Family of Services does
not verify their accuracy.
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LUNG ON A CHIP
Science Daily — Tiny new laboratory tools termed microfluidic devices are
helping biomedical researchers to better understand the physiological and
chemical processes underlying high blood pressure, stroke, sickle cell
disease and other disorders. Among the exciting developments described in
the article is a "lung on a chip" device that will give researchers new
insights into fluid dynamics in the diseased lung -- a key to new treatments
for pneumonia, cystic fibrosis and asthma.
In the Chemical & Engineering News cover story, senior editor Celia Henry
Arnaud describes how microfluidic devices, which include such features as
micrometer-scale channels and wells as part of sophisticated "lab-on-a-chip"
instruments, provide unprecedented biological realism needed to shed light
on today's most challenging medical problems. The devices enable scientists
to study the kinds of fluid movements and chemical interactions that occur
in cells, tissues, and even organs in ways that aren't possible with test
tubes and Petri dishes.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070910101045.htm
THE HAZARDS OF AIR FRESHENERS
If you like your kitchen to smell like chrysanthemums, be careful. The
chemicals in those faux floral aromas might be hazardous to your health. In
a survey of 1,000 people, researchers at the University of Washington found
that 20% of the general population -- and 37% of people with asthma --
experienced health problems following exposure to air fresheners. "The
airways become more inflamed and they constrict," said Dr. Dana Savici, a
pulmonologist at SUNY Upstate Medical Center. "Less air can go through and
the individual feels this hunger for air." Though she cautioned against
changing one's habits based on the findings of a single study, Dr. Savici
said if you tend you experience breathing problems, you might be better off
skipping the fragrance aisle. That is especially true of individuals with
COPD and asthma. "I don't buy [air fresheners] anyway," said Carrie Boyko,
of Fayetteville. "If your house was meant to smell like roses, why not buy
roses...instead of some chemical concotion?"
http://www.wtvh.com/news/local/9699307.html
CHANGES IN ALBUTEROL INHALERS FOR ASTHMA
Ask the Doctor:
Q: I heard that albuterol was going away at the end of this year and being
replaced by another med that costs three times as much. Have you heard about
this? Do you think there are any alternative ways to treat without
albuterol?
A. Albuterol is a short-acting beta agonist that widens the airways by
relaxing the bronchial muscles surrounding the airways. It’s used for
chronic asthma, exercise-induced asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.
This medication is a mainstay for asthma treatment and offers quick relief.
It is here to stay! Perhaps you heard that albuterol inhalers containing
ozone-depleting chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) will be banned
starting in 2009. This is true. However, the inhalers will be replaced by
new, environmentally friendly devices called HFA inhalers, which will also
contain albuterol. You’re correct that the new inhalers are significantly
more expensive.
The American Lung Association has more information on the new albuterol
inhalers, as well as assistance programs to help patients pay for them.
http://www2.healthtalk.com/go/asthma/ask-the-doctor/content/upcoming-changes-in-albuterol-inhalers-for-asthma
CLEANING YOUR INHALER
These are generic instructions. Your physician or pharmacist may have
specific instructions, depending on the brand of HFA inhaler you use.
• Look at the inhaler’s tiny hole through which the medication sprays.
• If there is powder or other residue in or around the hole, it is time to
clean your inhaler.
• Remove the canister from the L-shaped plastic mouthpiece.
• Rinse the mouthpiece and cap in warm water.
• Let the mouthpiece and cap dry all day or overnight.
• After the mouthpiece and cap have dried, put the canister back inside the
mouthpiece and the cap back on the inhaler.
http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=2222599
FIVE MUST-DO'S WHEN A LOVED ONE IS ILL
From Don/AZ posted to Caregivers: There's a helpful article on CNN.com, read
it, know it, follow it:
-Advocates can help make sure patients get proper care
-Don't be afraid to intervene and ask questions, families say
-Make sure you understand what doctors are saying
-Nurses also can be a great asset for patients
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/09/13/ep.patient.advocates/index.html
COPD Support Caregivers at: http://copd-support1.com/caregivers.html
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COMMERCIAL FREE: We do not accept any paid advertising. Any corporations,
products, medicines (prescription or non) mentioned in this newsletter are
for informational purposes only and not to be construed as an endorsement or
condemnation of same.
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DIRTY GIRL OR QUEEN OF HYGIENE?
Editor's note: I don't know why they directed this quiz to women but the few
minutes involved are well spent in determining whether you are considered
compulsively clean or pleasantly messy.
How's your hygiene? Find out if it's time to clean up your act...Quick --
what would a stranger think if she entered your home right now? Would she be
greeted by a fascinating display of your dirty socks and underwear? Or could
she easily mistake your pad for a model-home showroom, never once inhabited
by a living, breathing creature? Just how dirty are your dirty secrets? Take
this quiz and find out if you're the queen of hygiene or a very dirty girl.
A sample question...
Q: Your sweetie bought you some amazingly delicious and expensive chocolate
truffles. While indulging alone one night you drop half the box on the
floor. You:
-Toss them out of course!
-Cut off the parts that actually hit the floor and eat the rest
-Place them back in the box and continue snacking as usual
http://quiz.ivillage.com/health/tests/hygiene.htm?nlcid=ht|09-06-2007|
PNEUMONIA AND LUNG INFECTION QUIZ
Your score on this self–test is not as important as the fact that it could
help solidify your knowledge of pneumonia and lung infections and maybe even
teach you something you didn't know. To complete the quiz, click on the
answer that seems the most correct from the choices given, then click "OK."
The correct answer will be provided along with some additional information
on the same topic. At the end of the quiz, your final score will be provided
along with some sources for additional information on pnuemonia and lung
infections.
http://cold.health.ivillage.com/quizzes/pnuemonialunginfectionquiz.cfm?qid=63
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MEDICAL DECISIONS. Your physician should be consulted on all medical
decisions. New procedures or drugs should not be started or stopped without
such consultation. While we believe that our accumulated experience has
value, and a unique perspective, you must accept it for what it is...the
work of COPD patients. We vigorously encourage individuals with COPD to take
an active part in the management of their disease. They do this through
education and by sharing information and thoughts with their primary
physician and pulmonologist. However, medical decisions are based on complex
medical principles and should be left to the medical practitioner who has
been trained to diagnose and advise.
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