Non-adherence We recently attended a lecture by Patrick Dunne, MEd, RRT, who talked about why people with chronic lung problems do not adhere to the treatment regime their physician has prescribed for them with controller med- ications. These are medications like Advair, Spiriva, Flovent, etc., that prevent acute attacks from happening in the…
Pulmonary Rehabilitation Coverage The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have posted new proposed rules for cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. CMS will accept comments on the proposed rules until August 31, 2009. Unless other- wise specified, the new payment rates and policies will apply to services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries on or…
Legislative Issues Update how you feel. We just may get some grease!f you would like to contact your elected representatives about issues that affect your living with lung disease, you may call the Capitol in Washington, DC, at 1-202- 224-3121. The switchboard operator will connect you to your legislator’s office by using your…
Calling Dr. Bauer…. As this issue of the Pulmonary Paper is going to press, we continue to get new updates about Swine Flu or H1N1 Flu every day. Right now, it appears that the virus may not be as potent as we feared and that infection rates seem to be slowing down a bit. The…
Respiratory News Maybe not next year, maybe not the year after that – but someday soon, you’ll be able to make it through to spring without suffering the runny nose, coughing, sneezing and congestion that come with the common cold. That is the hope of University of Calgary scientist Dr. David Proud. He…
Smoking News The current average smoking rate for United States high school seniors is approximately 20%, a figure that has not changed over the last five The New England Journal of Medicine recently reported paying people to quit smoking, significantly increased smoking cessation rates, according to a workplace-based study of more than…
Traveling Tales A New Day Has Dawned! On May 16, 2009, the U.S. Department of Trans-portation regulation went into effect requiring all commercial flights originating or departing from a U.S. airport to allow passengers to bring and operate a portable oxygen concentrator (POC) on the aircraft. For those who wish to read the official…
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. Iam writing to encourage people to…
Nutritional Education for Pulmonary Patients This article was prepared by Sue Lutz MS, RD, LD/N, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center, Ormond Beach, FL. Good nutrition is important to keep you healthy. A well-balanced diet gives your body the nutrients it needs for energy, maintaining body cells and regulating body processes. It may be helpful to…
Respiratory News Your mother told you to eat your broccoli and now so do researchers from UCLA. Reporting in the March edition of Clinical Immunology, the research shows that sulforaphane, a chemical in broccoli, triggers an increase of antioxidant enzymes which offer protection against the free radicals that people breathe in every day in polluted…