Pulmonology

Researchers say young veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at high risk for sleep apnea.

Patients discharged from the hospital often rely on a family member to perform complex nursing tasks at home. These caregivers are critical, but too often physicians do not acknowledge these family members' role or help them with care instructions, says Carol Levine of the United Hospital Fund.

The benefits and risks of vaccinations have been in the forefront of the news lately, especially with children going back to school and presidential debates heating up. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continuously advise that all eligible candidates receive a vaccine, some remain skeptical. The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) hosted their annual news conference to discuss the 2014-2015 flu vaccine outcomes and what you need to know as we approach the next season.

A study analyzing sputum suggests that there may be a framework for changes in the proteins of smokers' lungs, which in turn lead to changes in transcription factors, and eventually to inflammatory mechanisms.

Over the past year, school officials in several of the nation's largest states have implemented new policies to address the growing prevalence and severity of pediatric allergies by increasing access to epinephrine auto-injectors.

There have been 14 confirmed cases of plague reported in the US in 2015, with 4 deaths.

Exhaled breath condensate analysis is useful in assessing patients who are having difficulty breathing. Though the technique is non-invasive, it can be difficult for sick patients

The use of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) has been rising steadily. But they can cause complications. In an article in Annals of Internal Medicine a multispecialty panel reports on the Michigan Appropriateness Guide for Intravenous Catheters (MAGIC). The panel came up with new PICC criteria.

Firefighters aren't the only heroes coping with wildfires in the Western US. The record-setting blazes are sending droves of patients with breathing problems to hospitals and clinics seeking help from pulmonologists.

Neurological disorders can cause both respiratory and sleep disorders. A sleep disorder specialist reviewed recent findings.

Evaluating COPD patients using Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease's system does not predict decline rates, a Korean study found.

The cost critics at the non-profit Institute for Clincial and Economic Review today charged that a heart monitoring device is too expensive by 60% and a new cardiac drug costs 17% more than it should. It's the same group that attacked the cost of PCSK9 inhibitors and predicted hepatitis C antivirals would be pricey.

A study in Drug Design, Development, and Therapy provides further evidence that omalizumab is safe and effective for treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Omalizumab is currently used to treat adult and pediatric patients with asthma and is FDA-approved for use in patients with CSU refractory to antihistamines. These results further outline the effectiveness of the drug in treating CSU and suggest a bump for omalizumab in the typical treatment protocol for CSU.

The Asthma Ally app can track patients' symptoms and alert their physicians when those symptoms are not under control, according to findings of a study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

In 2010, about 3% of Americans had tried e-cigarettes. Today, around 10% of the population has tried them, with sales growing every year.

Norwegian researchers found that lung cancer patients with brain metastasis who got aggressive treatment for the brain lesions did better overall than patients with stage IV lung cancer.

Stronger abdominal muscles could reduce fatigue and increase health-related quality of life for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who have chronic coughing.

Secondhand smoke exposure in utero and in childhood puts people at higher risk of having atrial fibrillation later in life, San Francisco researchers found.

New Jersey physicians have been the slowest in the nation to switch to electronic health records (EHRs) according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A Legionnaires' Disease outbreak was confirmed in New York City earlier in the summer; however, investigations continue as additional deadly cases have been confirmed in other states.

Voriconazole, used to treat fungal infections in lung transplant recipients, has been reported to increase their risk of skin cancer and mortality.

Certain groups of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may see more benefits from adding a combination of aclidinium bromide and formoterol to their existing treatment, according to research conducted by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).

A study in JAMA Dermatology provides evidence that the use of two tests to assess cutaneous sarcoidosis disease severity should be expanded. The research has applications for dermatologists, rheumatologists, and pulmonologists, all of whom have a role in treating sarcoidosis.

Couch potatoes, beware. According to a recent study presented at the European Society of Cardiology 2015 Congress (ESC) in London, UK, watching television for longer than five hours each day doubles the likelihood of suffering a fatal pulmonary embolism.

Cold season is officially here and for the next several months many people will be loading up on vitamin C in hopes of keeping the common, but physically draining, illness at bay. However, gorging on oranges is not necessarily the answer to making it through without the sniffles – but extra sleep might be.

Clinicians are urged not to treat central sleep apnea in heart failure patients with adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) therapy, which was reported to increase mortality in heart failure patients.

The Sanofi/Regeneron PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab (Praluent)- approved in July in the US - lowered cholesterol in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia to levels "unreachable with statins" researchers said at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in London, UK.

People with pulmonary arterial hypertension may benefit from initial combination therapy with ambrisentan and tadalafil, according to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine

Women seek medical care more frequently than men after treatment for asthma in the emergency department, according to findings published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

A confirmed outbreak of Legionnaires' Disease, or Legionellosis, has been declared in New York City and health officials have provided updates and need-to-know information regarding the illness.