Respiratory News
Researchers found flavoring chemicals like diacetyl, previously reported to be as- sociated with severe respiratory disease, in the juices used in e-cigarettes according to a report published in Environmental Health Perspectives. E-cigarettes contain not only nicotine but also flavorings – more than 7,000 e-cigarette flavors are currently avail- able on the market. The use of diacetyl in the butter flavoring of microwave popcorn was reported to be associated with a severe lung disease in popcorn plant workers.
The 68 participants in the study, Music Therapy in the Treatment of Chronic Pul- monary Disease, were all diagnosed with chronic respiratory diseases. They were randomly distributed into two groups, with one given six weekly music therapy sessions at the The Louis Armstrong Center of Music and Medicine at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. These included live music, visualizations, wind instrument playing, and singing – all incorporating breathing techniques and su- pervised by therapists who provided music- psychotherapy and encouraged self-ex- pression and engagement. Results showed considerable improvement in symptoms of depression and dyspnea in the music ther- apy group, and lower reports of fatigue. The study was published in Respiratory Magazine.
Singer Natalie Cole, the daughter of Nat King Cole, died on New Year’s Eve in Los Angeles of pulmonary arterial hypertension which led to heart failure. She was 65. Sometimes referred to as “the other high blood pressure,” pulmonary hypertension is an increase in blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs that over-stress the right side of the heart, which can lead to heart failure. With symptoms including fatigue, dyspnea and chest pain, patients lose priceless time if they’re misdiagnosed with asthma and other illnesses, delaying an accurate diagnosis.
The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) will highlight 25 Years of Achieve- ments at the PHA Conference that will be held June 17–19, in Dallas, TX. The PHA was founded in 1991 by three people with the disease and a caregiver. Since then the organization has contributed to significant progress over the past two decades in the treatment of PH. For further information, visit www.PHAssociation.org or call 1-301- 565-3004 in Silver Springs, MD. You might also want to call their patient-to-patient support line at 1-800-748-7274.
The Zika virus has been in the news lately because of increased activity in Latin America. It is a tropical disease which takes its name from the Zika forest in Uganda and is caused by mosquito bites. The virus rarely causes serious symptoms but if pregnant women are infected, it may lead to birth defects in their children. The virus is likely to spread to other parts of the world because of people traveling to the area.