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New program aims to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions for older adults

Preventing stressful, and often unnecessary, hospital admissions for older Australians living in residential aged care facilities is the aim of a new $1.9 million program funded by the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund.

5 Sep 2019

Higher levels of serotonin after a seizure linked to lower incidence of breathing problems

Could a chemical produced by the brain that regulates mood, sleep and breathing also be protective in people with epilepsy? New research has found that higher levels of serotonin in the blood after a seizure are linked to a lower incidence of seizure-related breathing problems called apneas, when a person temporarily stops breathing.

5 Sep 2019

Novel self-monitoring solution can be an efficient tool in managing uncontrolled asthma

A study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet shows that a treatment adjustment algorithm based on lung function and symptoms in a mobile phone can be an efficient tool in managing uncontrolled asthma.

3 Sep 2019

Statement on FDA and CDC collaboration to investigate respiratory illnesses related to e-cigarette use

Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working tirelessly to investigate the distressing incidents of severe respiratory disease associated with use of e-cigarette products.

30 Aug 2019

Bakersfield Heart Hospital first in Central California to offer new lung valve treatment for COPD patients

Bakersfield Heart Hospital is the first in Central California to offer a new lung valve treatment for patients with severe COPD/emphysema. Recently approved by the FDA under their "Breakthrough Devices" status, the Endoscopic Lung Volume Reduction surgery with Endobronchial Zephyr valves represents a major advancement because it is the first minimally invasive procedure to help emphysema/COPD sufferers breathe easier without major surgery.

30 Aug 2019

Researchers discover unique biological marker for rare autoimmune disease

University of Alberta researchers have identified a unique biological marker that can be used to identify the presence of the rare autoimmune disease myasthenia gravis, predict the course of the disease and identify new, personalized treatments.

29 Aug 2019

Inflammation in the lungs triggers silent mutation to cause pulmonary hypertension

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found that inflammation in the lungs of rats, triggered by something as simple as the flu, may wake up a silent genetic defect that causes sudden onset cases of pulmonary hypertension, a deadly form of high blood pressure in the lungs.

29 Aug 2019

In India’s burgeoning pain market, U.S. drugmakers stand to gain

Pain, like death, is a universal phenomenon. The sour grimace on the woman's face, registering her bodily complaints to Dr. G.P. Dureja in his East Delhi office, would be recognized anywhere. Slouched shoulders, pinched forehead. She wore a willowy black kurta and cast a disapproving glance at the five pain physicians-in-training huddled behind Dureja, founder of Delhi Pain Management Centre and one of India's pioneering pain physicians.

28 Aug 2019

FDA finds inconsistent amounts of belladonna in certain homeopathic teething tablets

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that its laboratory analysis found inconsistent amounts of belladonna, a toxic substance, in certain homeopathic teething tablets, sometimes far exceeding the amount claimed on the label.

23 Aug 2019

Worsening air pollution linked to poor mental health

According to a new large-scale study, rising air pollution can be associated with not just physical problems such as heart and lung diseases but also mental health problems such as depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

22 Aug 2019

Study uncovers cause of asthmatic lung spasms

Researchers at Rutgers and other institutions have discovered how muscle contraction (bronchospasm) in the airway, which cause breathing difficulty in people with asthma, occur by creating a microdevice that mimics the behavior of the human airways.

22 Aug 2019

Nigeria on the brink of being polio free

There have been no reported cases of polio in Nigeria for the last three years and the nation may soon be declared free of the crippling viral disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria has come a long way since 2012 when it had almost half of the global number of polio cases.

21 Aug 2019

Mysterious lung disease linked to vaping spreads across 14 US states

The CDC is investigating a series of cases of mysterious, severe lung disease. The cause is not known, but every patient uses an e-cigarette.

21 Aug 2019

MSD collaborates with Francis Crick to find causes of motor neurone disease

Scientists at global biopharmaceutical company MSD and the Francis Crick Institute have started a unique new collaboration to understand the causes of Motor Neurone Disease and identify potential targets for future treatments, co-funded by MSD and the UK Medical Research Council.

21 Aug 2019

Children who play recreational sports more likely to suffer serious head injuries

An Australian/ New Zealand study examining childhood head injuries has found that children who do recreational sports like horse riding, skate boarding and bike riding are more likely to suffer serious head injuries than children who play contact sport like AFL or rugby.

20 Aug 2019

CDC warns on lung diseases linked to vaping

Vaping or using e-cigarettes has gained immense population over the past few years. It's widely regarded as a healthier alternative to cigarette smoking. Now, health officials warn against vaping as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that a cluster of lung diseases associated with e-cigarette use was reported in 14 states.

19 Aug 2019

'As-needed' treatment OK for children with mild asthma

Children with mild asthma may use two inhalers – one steroid and the other a bronchodilator, when symptoms occur, a new study shows.

19 Aug 2019

Global air pollution linked to increased emphysema cases

A new study funded by the NIH says that increasing rates of the chronic lung condition called emphysema are linked to breathing polluted air over a long period. The progression of emphysema, a condition more commonly linked to smoking, is now also being attributed to polluted air. Air pollution is already known to be associated with lung and cardiovascular disease.

14 Aug 2019

Novel robotic neck brace could improve quality of life for ALS patients

A novel neck brace, which supports the neck during its natural motion, was designed by Columbia engineers.

12 Aug 2019

Researchers find new target for disease of the heart's smallest blood vessels

When we race walk, for example, part of our healthy heart muscle may want a little more blood and oxygen, so our tiniest blood vessels send a message upstream to the larger vessels to send more.

12 Aug 2019