Lung Disease & Respiratory Health Center

News and Features Related to Lung Disease & Respiratory Health

71. Test May Reveal Early Signs of Emphysema
    

    April 5, 2010 -- A new test may help identify smokers most at risk of developing emphysema. Researchers found that measuring blood flow patterns in the lungs using a new type of multidetector row CT (MDCT) scan revealed subtle changes that may lead to emphysema in smokers with otherwise normal lungs

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72. Frying Meat on Gas Stoves Poses Greater Risk
    

    Feb. 17, 2010 -- Gas stoves may give off more harmful fumes than electric stoves when cooking meat. The finding comes from a study in which steaks were pan-fried under conditions typical for a kitchen in a Western European restaurant. Researchers fried 17 beef steaks, each 14 ounces, either with mar

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73. Mild COPD May Hurt the Heart
    

    Jan. 20, 2010 -- Even a mild case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may have a major impact on the heart, according to a new study. "This study shows that COPD, even in its mildest form, is associated with diminished heart function," Susan B. Shurin, MD, acting director of the National

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74. Gene Therapy May Stall Inherited Emphysema
    

    Dec. 21, 2009 -- A new type of gene therapy may help stop the progression of emphysema in young people who have an inherited form of the deadly disease. Researchers say previous attempts to correct the gene mutation that predisposes young people to emphysema have failed to achieve lasting results. B

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75. Is Your Home's Air Unhealthy? Try Plants
    

    Dec. 4, 2009 -- Certain plants can remove dangerous airborne contaminants commonly found in homes, new research suggests. The contaminants plants can remove from the air include harmful volatile organic compounds such as benzene, toluene, octane, alpha-pinene, and trichloroethylene (TCE), the resear

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76. COPD: Awareness Climbs, but Understanding Lags
    

    Nov. 4, 2009 -- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which makes breathing tough for one in every five people over age 45, is becoming a better-known condition, but nearly half of the people in a survey doubt it can be treated. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National In

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77. Bacteria May Lurk on Your Showerhead
    

    Sept. 14, 2009 -- Showerheads in your home may harbor potentially infectious bacteria and enrich their growth, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Colorado sampled gunk, which they call biofilm, from 45 germy showerheads in nine U.S. cities, then analyzed the ribosomal RNA g

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78. Early COPD Treatment Slows Disease
    

    Aug. 27, 2009 - Early treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) slows loss of lung function and likely extends survival, a large-scale clinical trial shows. COPD is almost always caused by smoking. It includes two diseases: chronic bronchitis, in which the airways become inflamed; an

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79. Outdoor Pollution and Lung Function Effects
    

    In 1996, the city of Atlanta took dramatic steps to improve the city's air quality for the summer Olympics. In the process, it showed how reducing air pollution can improve lung function. What city officials did -- switching to rapid transit and buses that ran on natural gas instead of diesel -- dec

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80. COPD May Contribute to Mental Decline
    

    July 8, 2009 -- A new study shows that severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with greater cognitive impairment in older adults. Previous research has already linked COPD with impaired cognitive function, or impaired mental skills, but researchers say this is the first stu

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