H1N1 Swine Flu News The H1N1 swine flu continues to dominate health news. The Associated Press has put together a top ten list of things you should know about the swine flu. Infections are 20 times more common in the 5- to 24-year-old age group than in people over 65. The older generation…
Don’t Be A Difficult Patient! People often tell us it is difficult to talk to their doctor but does your doctor think you are difficult too? According to ABC News, these are the bad habits that will brand you as a “difficult” patient: Withholding information about your condition; stopping your medications; always looking…
Respiratory News Researchers from Australia found eating lots of soy products may improve lung function and reduce the risk of developing COPD and other respiratory symptoms. Flavonoids in soy act as an anti-inflammatory agent in the lung and may protect against tobacco carcinogens for smokers. Soy is found in many Japanese foods, including…
2009–2010 Flu Season Vaccine Update The FDA has approved the vaccine to protect against the 2009–2010 seasonal flu. People need to get vaccinated each year because the strains of circulating flu differ each year. This year you may be getting two injections. A separate vaccine to protect against H1N1 swine flu is now…
Product Corner New Portable Liquid O2 Device Hits Market GoLox is a new portable liquid oxygen device from Phillips Respironics. Weighing almost 4 pounds when full, it is said to last for 10 hours on a setting of 2. The unit has one continuous flow setting of 2LPM which will last for 2.5…
Traveling Tales I live in the Denver area, and often travel through the mountains to see family in Western Colorado and to vacation at moderate (6000 to 7000 feet) elevations in the state. I am on continuous 4LPM. Neither my POC (portable oxygen concentrator), nor my “demand” type liquid O2 portable, can sustain…
Feelings It always helps to vent! If you or your caregiver would like to write about how you really feel about any aspect of chronic lung disease, we will credit you with a year’s membership. Please send to: The Pulmonary Paper, PO Box 877, Ormond Beach, FL 32175. I struggled for two years…
Fibrosis File Blood Test Alerts Physicians of IPF Decline The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine reports investigators have identified proteins that could prove to be the first biomarker blood tests able to identify idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients at risk for sudden deterioration of lung function. For most IPF patients,…
Know Your Inhalers The American College of Chest Physicians want you to be aware of the difference between the old CFC inhalers compared with the HFA inhalers now in production. To get the prescribed medication, remember to use proper technique. Make sure you follow the proper priming instructions that come with each inhaler…
Calling Dr. Bauer Dear Dr Bauer: How and why does a damaged respiratory system make a lot of mucus? I am not talking about an infection, but on a daily basis! MS, Aurora, CO Despite its reputation as something nasty, pulmonary mucus (sputum) serves a very useful purpose. The surface of the larger airways…