Respiratory News To keep up on the latest pulmonary news, click on the link on the home page of www.pulmonarypaper.org. A recent article in the respiratory therapy journal, Respiratory Care, showed giving the recommended dose of Guaifenesin had no measurable effect on sputum volume or properties and is unlikely to be help you raise or…
E-Cigarette Use Gaining Ground cigarettes were first developed in China and introduced to the U.S. market in 2007. When they appeared, it was thought they could help people stop smoking. Now we know it might not be such a good idea! According to a study con- ducted by the University of California, San Diego, vapor…
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Hereditary Condition Related to Emphysema Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency It has been 50 years since the discovery of the genetic abnormality of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, also known as Alpha-1. It is a hereditary condition that is passed on through generations that could result in emphysema in adults and/or liver disease in infants, children…
A Great “Small” Town The Villages in central Florida, is not just a retirement community with approx- imately 50,000 homes, but was ranked as the number one, fastest growing small town in the United States in 2012 by Forbes magazine. They have an active Better Breather group called the AirHeads that meets twice a month.…
The Ryan Report Q . What is the oxygen production capac ity of the POC? Oxygen production capacity tells you how much oxygen the POC is capable of producing per minute. Smaller POC units tend to produce less oxygen per minute than larger units, and will meet a smaller range of user needs than their…
The Chart and the Checklist Portable Oxygen Concentrators: The Chart and the Checklist This issue marks the fourth year the Pulmonary Paper is publishing its portable oxygen concentrator (POC) chart. This year, we’re adding a checklist of important questions to ask before purchasing, renting or simply using a POC. POCs are seeing even wider acceptance…
Write your Congressman I wrote to my congressman about the hardships people who use oxygen have I told him beneficiaries do not have access to the medical supplies they need. A lady in Minnesota was told she would have to stay home more because her liquid oxygen delivery was being reduced to once a month.…
Fibrosis File People suffering from idiopathic pulmo- nary fibrosis (IPF) will soon have treatment options! InterMune, Inc. has initiated the Expanded Access Program (EAP) for the in vestigational drug, pirfenidone. Pirfeni- done is currentlyunder review by the FDA to determine if it should be approved in the United States to treat IPF. The EAP will…
Calling Dr. Bauer … My patients often share with me their frustrations dealing with insurance companies and home care companies. I’d like to share with you some of my frustrations, which, I suspect are quite the same. In some ways, writing prescriptions has become a lot easier for me. I used to hand write 10…
Editor’s Note Decisions, Decisions, Decisions! How do you know you are making the right one? The only thing you can do is gather as much information and opinions as you can about the subject. A member called one day and asked why you would choose one Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC) over another. The answer is…