Emphysema News and Research

Latest Emphysema News and Research

FDA approves lung valve to control some air leaks post-surgery

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved an implantable and removable valve system designed to control some air leaks in the lungs that persist after certain kinds of lung surgery.

26 Oct 2008

Red wine cuts smokers risk for lung cancer

Cancer experts say drinking red wine may decrease the risk of lung cancer in men who smoke, because of its antioxidant properties.

7 Oct 2008

Key component of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease identified

For the first time, researchers have demonstrated a close correlation between the decline in a key component of the lung's antioxidant defense system and the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in humans.

14 Sep 2008

Pharmacists reduce hospital visits for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience 55% fewer hospital admissions and 50% less visits to accident and emergency departments when clinical pharmacists intervene in their care, research launched at the British Pharmaceutical Conference (BPC) in Manchester has shown.

8 Sep 2008

Low-level exposure cadmium linked to emphysema

New research suggests that cadmium is one of the critical ingredients causing emphysema, and even low-level exposure attained through second-hand smoke and other means may also increase the chance of developing lung disease.

20 Aug 2008

Premature babies at risk of lung problems later on

According to Australian researchers some premature babies may have a higher risk of developing emphysema and other lung problems later on.

29 Jul 2008

New study finds working age adults with major chronic conditions grew 25 percent over 10 years

As the number of working-age adults who have major chronic conditions grew between 1997 and 2006, those without health coverage in this group experienced substantial erosion in access to health care, according to a new study by Kaiser Family Foundation researchers published today as a Health Affairs Web Exclusive.

22 Jul 2008

Health policy for men in the pipeline

Plans are in the pipeline to raise awareness of health issues which affect men in particular.

9 Jun 2008

Presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Obama criticizes health care proposal of opponent McCain

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) on Thursday during a rally at a Bristol, Va., high school said that the health care proposal of presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) would not expand health insurance to all U.S. residents, the Washington Times reports.

8 Jun 2008

CFC-propelled inhalers no longer available as of Dec. 31 2008

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a public health advisory to alert patients, caregivers and health care professionals to switch to hydrofluoroalkane (HFA)-propelled albuterol inhalers because chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-propelled inhalers will not be available in the United States after Dec. 31, 2008.

30 May 2008

Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency associated with increased risk of lung cancer

Carriers of a common genetic disorder previously linked to lung disease may have a 70-percent to 100-percent increased risk of lung cancer, according to a report in the May 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine

26 May 2008

Common gene disorder doubles risk of lung cancer, even among nonsmokers

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that carrying a common genetic disorder doubles the risk of developing lung cancer in smokers and nonsmokers.

26 May 2008

Tuberculosis not the only risk from new immunological drugs

A new survey cautions physicians that drugs commonly prescribed for patients suffering from immunological disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease may carry risks of serious infections other than the known risk of tuberculosis. The survey published is in the June 1 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, currently available online.

20 May 2008

Personalized therapy for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease could soon be here

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have defined a new type of immune response that is activated in patients with severe asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Their discovery could dramatically improve diagnosis and treatment of patients with chronic inflammatory lung disease.

19 May 2008

Gap in mortality rates between people with more, less education widened, study finds

The gap in mortality rates between highly educated and poorly educated people widened during the 1990s, according to a study published on Tuesday in the online journal PLoS One, the Washington Post reports.

19 May 2008

Researchers launch lung cancer screening trial

Scientists are testing a new way of detecting lung cancer at an early stage in people at greatest risk of developing the disease.

9 May 2008

Quit smoking and the benefits soon appear

New research says that people who give up smoking begin to improve their health almost immediately, and the risk of death from all causes falls by 13% within 5 years and to no extra risk of death by 20 years.

7 May 2008

AstraZeneca submits sNDA for SYMBICORT in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

AstraZeneca today announced that it submitted a supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of a new indication for SYMBICORT (budesonide/formoterol fumarate dihydrate) Inhalation Aerosol for the treatment of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). SYMBICORT is currently approved for the long-term maintenance treatment of asthma in patients 12 years and older.

30 Apr 2008

New imaging technology lights up lungs to diagnose disease

Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed innovative technology which illuminates a person's lungs and helps clinicians identify if they are functioning correctly. The new technology could result in earlier diagnosis of emphysema and smoking related damage, as well as other lung conditions and diseases.

28 Apr 2008

FDA approves Relistor for opioid-induced constipation - helps reduce effects of drugs like morphine on bowel function

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Relistor (methylnaltrexone bromide) to help restore bowel function in patients with late-stage, advanced illness who are receiving opioids on a continuous basis to help alleviate their pain.

24 Apr 2008