Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term for a group of respiratory tract diseases that are characterised by airflow obstruction or limitation. It is usually caused by smoking.
Smoking marijuana and tobacco concurrently may have a synergistic effect on the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. – Smoking both tobacco and marijuana increases the risk of respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), found a study in CMAJ.
Helium helps lung patients breathe easier. New U of C research creates innovative intervention to help people with lung disease exercise longer and harder. – New research published in the international journal Chest, by Neil Eves, PhD, finds that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who breathed a mix of 60% helium and 40% oxygen during a rehabilitation program were able to exercise longer and harder than those who breathed normal air.
Vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of colds, flu. Large-scale study supports potential role in boosting immune system. – Vitamin D may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold, report investigators from the University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver) School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Children’s Hospital Boston.
Researchers have developed a list of 14 widely prescribed medications most urgently in need of additional study to determine how effective and safe they are for their off-label uses. – Physicians and policy-makers know that drugs are frequently prescribed to treat certain diseases despite a lack of FDA approval – a practice known as off-label prescribing. Yet they say the problem is so big they don’t know how to begin tackling it.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the 4th leading cause of death in the United States of America. – A joint report released by the American Lung Association of Minnesota and the Minnesota COPD Coalition shows that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is sending more Minnesotans to the hospital, and may be contributing to rising health care costs across in the state.
Smoking and solid fuel use in homes in China projected to cause millions of deaths. Large-scale interventions needed to reduce disease burden. – If current levels of smoking and biomass and coal fuel use in homes continues, between 2003 and 2033 there will be an estimated 65 million deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 18 million deaths from lung cancer in China, accounting for 19% and 5% of all deaths in that country during this period.
