The innovations of Dr. Henry Heimlich extended well beyond his famed anti-choking maneuver. The Heimlich Chest Drain Valve gets blood and air out of the chest cavity of soldiers shot there. He also developed the Heimlich MicroTrach, a tiny tube providing certain advantages to delivering oxygen into the trachea, and effectively the lungs.
Asthma
The famous singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, as per his manager Robert B. Kory’s statement, “died during his sleep following a fall in the middle of the night on November 7th." Ironically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just released their estimates of the top 5 causes of preventable deaths.
A novel (and sorely needed) asthma drug is making some noise during Phase II clinical trials in Great Britain. Inflammation and constriction of the airways was shown in a small number of subjects. Should this hold up in larger trials, it could be a game changer for all asthmatics.
A study claims that infants given corticosteroids to treat asthma may face stunted growth in their future. However, the coverage of the study misses the point: despite the concern about potential height, asthma is still a deadly disease and steroids are still an effective treatment.
The hygiene hypothesis has some new data. Researchers believe they have evidence that a lack of four bacteria genera early in life leads to a high risk of asthma. However, the study is small and the data is anything but conclusive.
Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to consumers and pharmacies not to rely on over-the-counter asthma products labeled as homeopathic. In their alert, they write:
A recent study examining the association between prenatal BPA exposure and lung function has been making headlines, often with titles similar to BPA linked to asthma. However, the actual study is about as
The hygiene hypothesis states that lack of exposure to germs at a young age may result in a weaker immune system in the child and consequently an increase in diseases related to the
A new study published online in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology raises some interesting questions about whether very young children who receive antibiotics develop asthma more frequently than those who do not.
This week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC, state and local health departments and other health agencies are observing National Influenza Vaccination Week. This includes
An article in the Oct. 12th New York Times takes an astounding 3800 words to make one point: Drug companies are charging much more (too much?) for their products in the U.S. compared to other parts of the world.
Secondhand smoke has been linked to the intensifying of asthma symptoms in children. It has also been linked to middle ear infection, bronchitis, pneumonia, coughing and wheezing and worse lung function