Asthma News and Research

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Asthma is a common inflammatory disease affecting the airways that leads to shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing. Symptoms range from mild to severe but are generally manageable with appropriate treatment.

New Symbicort single inhaler asthma treatment gives much better asthma control

A new asthma treatment regimen promises to deliver a great improvement in key measures of asthma control and should simplify the management of the disease compared with other treatments.

23 May 2005

Children living close to a major road are significantly more likely to have asthma than children who live farther away

The study found that children living within 75 meters (about 82 yards) of a major road had an almost 50 percent greater risk of having had asthma symptoms in the past year than were children who lived more than 300 meters (about 328 yards) away.

23 May 2005

Online asthma management program can help asthma patients

An online asthma management program can help asthma patients get top-rate care and overcome barriers to healthcare access, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference on May 22.

22 May 2005

People with chronic cough are often depressed

More than half of people with chronic cough-a nagging cough that can last for months or even years-suffer from depressive symptoms, according to a study to be presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference on May 23.

22 May 2005

Lack of funds hampering important child health study

US Congress should boost funding for an important study to identify the risk factors for childhood chronic disease, states an editorial in this week’s issue of The Lancet.

19 May 2005

New drug fluticasone was just as effective as beclomethasone and budesonide at opening up constricted breathing passages

A new inhaled drug for chronic asthma may improve lung function as much as two older inhaled asthma drugs but at half the dose, a review of recent studies concludes.

19 May 2005

Obese people incorrectly diagnosed with asthma

Clinical tests carried out by the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research indicate obese people may be incorrectly being diagnosed and treated for asthma when in fact the reason for shortness of breath may be related to the extra weight they carry.

18 May 2005

Prescription drug affordability woes grow for Americans

More Americans—especially those with chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma and depression-are going without prescription drugs because of cost concerns, according to a new national study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC).

18 May 2005

Alcohol consumption increases movement of S. pneumoniae toward the lungs

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a bacterium that can infect the upper respiratory tract and cause pneumonia, as well as infections in other parts of the body such as the bloodstream (bacteremia), lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis), bones (osteomyelitis), joints (arthritis), ears (otitis media) and sinuses (sinusitis).

15 May 2005

Drug lowers inflammatory markers associated with risk for heart attack

A preliminary study suggests that use of a drug that inhibits a specific protein in patients with certain genetic variants that increase their risk for heart attack reduced their levels of inflammatory markers associated with heart attack risk, according to a study in the May 11 issue of JAMA.

10 May 2005

Obesity appears to worsen and possibly cause asthma

Obesity is a known risk factor for type II diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer. Evidence is now mounting that obesity is also a risk factor for asthma.

10 May 2005

Help needed for chronic care

Many general practitioners are keen to adopt a team-based approach that promises better treatment for patients with chronic conditions, but they face a number of significant obstacles, according to research in the School of Commerce at Flinders University, Australia.

10 May 2005

Carbonated soft drinks can cause heartburn

Carbonated soft drinks and one of the most commonly prescribed sleeping pills, benzodiazepines, can cause nighttime heartburn, according to new research.

9 May 2005

Study sheds light on long term outlook for babies born before 2 weeks

The Medical Research Council (MRC) has announced that it has allocated £3 million to fund the next phase of a unique study looking into the survival prospects and long-term health and social issues facing extremely premature babies.

9 May 2005

More than 70 percent could better manage asthma triggers, EPA survey finds

In the first national awareness survey on environmental asthma triggers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found that fewer than 30 percent of people with asthma are taking simple steps to reduce exposure to asthma triggers. Exposure to asthma triggers such as secondhand smoke, cockroaches, dust mites, mold, and ozone can cause asthma in young children or set off asthma attacks.

4 May 2005

Gaining better control of your child's asthma

In conjunction with National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month in May, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) is urging parents to ensure that their child's asthma is properly controlled. Of the more than 20 million people in the United States suffering from asthma, 9 million are under the age of 18, according to the AAAAI.

4 May 2005

Paracetamol linked to asthma and reduced lung function

Scientists now suspect that regular use of the painkiller paracetamol, is linked with higher rates of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and reduced lung function.

3 May 2005

3 questions identify children at risk of passive smoking

Pediatricians can reliably identify children at risk for environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure (secondhand smoke) by asking parents just three questions, according to an article in the May issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

2 May 2005

9/11 rescue workers screening program to continue

A program to screen the health of rescue workers who were involved in the wreckage of the World Trade Center, will soon start accepting new patients again, in the hopes of reaching thousands of people who could not be accommodated previously.

1 May 2005

Asthma and diabetes sufferers could benefit nano-particle research

Patients suffering from conditions as diverse as asthma and diabetes could benefit from research at Cardiff University to improve the effectiveness of drugs taken through spray inhalers.

1 May 2005