Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease News and Research

Latest Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease News and Research

Cannabis Science extract treatments help kill cancer cells

Cannabis Science, Inc. a pioneering U.S. biotech company developing pharmaceutical cannabis (marijuana derivative) products, is pleased to announce that numerous patients are reporting that Cannabis Science extract treatments are killing cancer cells.

23 Feb 2011

HealthGrades recognizes America's 50 Best Hospitals for 2011

HealthGrades America's 50 Best Hospitals for 2011 were identified in a report issued today by the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. These hospitals demonstrated superior and sustained clinical quality over an eleven year time period, based on an analysis of more than 140 million Medicare patient records.

23 Feb 2011

AHRQ: Low-income rural Americans with COPD more likely to be hospitalized

Low-income Americans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and those who lived in rural areas or the South or Midwest in 2008 had the highest rates of hospitalization for symptoms of the disease, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

18 Feb 2011

Study: Cigarette smoking linked to mucus overproduction in patients with chronic bronchitis

Cigarette smoking has been linked with overproduction of mucus associated with chronic bronchitis, according to a study conducted by researchers in New Mexico. The study indicates cigarette smoke suppresses a protein that causes the natural death of mucus-producing cells in the airways of bronchitis patients.

17 Feb 2011

Study: High bilirubin levels within normal range linked with reduced risk of respiratory diseases

An analysis of data including more than 500,000 adults indicates that levels in the blood of bilirubin in the normal range but relatively higher were associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and all-cause death, according to a study in the February 16 issue of JAMA.

15 Feb 2011

Extensive, reversible changes in heart take place when exposed to low oxygen levels

From the highest mountaintop comes a new research report in the FASEB Journal that gets to the bottom of what happens to the hearts of people when exposed to low-levels of oxygen, such as those on Mount Everest or in the intensive care unit of a hospital.

1 Feb 2011

Vitamin D deficiency linked to lung disease, poor lung function: Study

For the study lead researcher Dr. Graeme Zosky a research fellow at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research in Subiaco, WA, compared two-week-old mice with vitamin D deficiency to normal mice. He noted that mice with a vitamin D deficiency had weaker lungs and that the difference was substantial.

1 Feb 2011

New nicotine addiction mechanism revealed

A new discovery has shown why some people cannot give up tobacco and may lead to new anti-smoking treatments. The researchers have found a brain pathway which when defective leads to an uncontrollable desire to smoke. This is a “sub-unit” of a receptor protein sensitive to nicotine.

31 Jan 2011

New study links vitamin D deficiency with deficits in altered lung structure and function

Previously linked to the severity of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in humans, vitamin D deficiency has now been shown to alter lung structure and function in young mice. The new study, conducted by researchers in Australia, offers the first concrete evidence linking vitamin D deficiency with deficits in lung function and altered lung structure.

28 Jan 2011

Study identifies gaps in primary health care for seniors with multiple chronic conditions

The number of health care services seniors use is determined more by the number of chronic conditions they have than by their age, according to a new study from the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

28 Jan 2011

Discovery of aldose reductase enzyme can result in new therapies for asthma and COPD

Researchers have proved that a single "master switch" enzyme, known as aldose reductase, is key in producing excess mucous that clogs the airways of people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

28 Jan 2011

COPD patients on LTOT may face high risk of death from cardiovascular disease

Patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are on long-term oxygen therapy have more to worry about than breathing difficulties. According to a new study by researchers in Sweden, COPD patients on LTOT today face an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease and other non-respiratory ailments.

20 Jan 2011

CJPS Medical Systems to launch VitalPoint Remote Patient Monitor in the U.K.

CJPS Medical Systems are launching into the U.K. market this week their VitalPoint® Remote Patient Monitor, a medical device capable of measuring patients' vital signs from home, allowing secure and direct communication with their caregiver, creating electronic medical records, and transmitting vital signs data.

19 Jan 2011

New study provides insight into developing therapeutics for airway disease

Researchers from Duke University Medical Center have identified how nanoparticles from diesel exhaust damage lung airway cells, a finding that could lead to new therapies for people susceptible to airway disease.

19 Jan 2011

Healthy teeth and gums may reduce risk for pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Maintaining periodontal health may contribute to a healthy respiratory system, according to research published in the Journal of Periodontology. A new study suggests that periodontal disease may increase the risk for respiratory infections, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia.

19 Jan 2011

Forest Laboratories third quarter net sales increase 6.7% to $1,063.9 million

Forest Laboratories, Inc., an international pharmaceutical manufacturer and marketer, announced that reported earnings per share equaled $1.11 in the third quarter of fiscal 2011 after taking a charge for a new product licensing fee of $66.1 million or $0.23 per share, net of tax.

18 Jan 2011

New way to halt lung inflammation

Acute inflammation of the lung is a poorly recognized human disease that develops in surprising and unexpected ways. The acute lung injury (ALI) or adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a vital new concern for soldiers, but it can develop in anyone during a systemic infection, after severe trauma, as a result of bone fracture, following severe burns and in many other ways as well-- the initial cause may have nothing apparent to do with the lung itself.

18 Jan 2011

New program may help reduce hospital readmission rates for high-risk seniors

SCAN Health Plan and Lakewood IPA have partnered with Dovetail Health in a program designed to reduce readmission rates for high-risk seniors following discharge from hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.

4 Jan 2011

Inhaled corticosteroids may cause diabetes

In a study published in the most recent issue of The American Journal of Medicine, researchers found that inhaled corticosteroids were associated with a 34% increase in the rate of diabetes onset and in the rate of diabetes progression. At the highest inhaled doses the risk increased by 64% in diabetes onset and 54% in diabetes progression.

15 Dec 2010

COPD becomes third leading cause of death in the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) released a report today, "Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2008," confirming that Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) became the third leading cause of death in the U.S. for 2008.

10 Dec 2010