Asthma
Asthma cases continue to rise in U.S., affecting millions
(HealthDay) -- Asthma continues to take its toll on Americans, with almost 19 million adults (8.2 percent) suffering from the disorder in 2010, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Centers for ...
Immunology
4 hours ago |
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Link between relaxation and eczema relief studied
A Murdoch University student is investigating the link between relaxation and its ability to reduce the severity of eczema.
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
11 hours ago |
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'Self-Managing' COPD might pose risks, study suggests
(HealthDay) -- In a finding that seems counterintuitive, a new study revealed that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were more likely to die after receiving comprehensive education and ...
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
May 14, 2012 |
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Novel drug candidates offer new route to controlling inflammation
Pursuing a relatively untapped route for regulating the immune system, an international team of researchers has designed and conducted initial tests on molecules that have the potential to treat diseases involving ...
Inflammatory disorders
May 14, 2012 |
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Study sheds new light on importance of human breast milk ingredient
A new University of Illinois study shows that human milk oligosaccharides, or HMO, produce short-chain fatty acids that feed a beneficial microbial population in the infant gut. Not only that, the bacterial composition adjusts ...
Health
May 14, 2012 |
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Time cover masks problem: Too few kids breast-fed
(AP) -- The real issue with breast-feeding is this: Too few infants who could really benefit from it are getting mom's milk.
Health
May 11, 2012 |
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ICU stays for worst asthma drop 74 percent, review finds
A review of 30 years of life-threatening asthma cases in a San Antonio intensive care unit found that annual ICU admissions for the condition have dropped 74 percent. The study, by UT Medicine San Antonio physicians who reviewed ...
Inflammatory disorders
May 10, 2012 |
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Quality variations exist, even among leading health systems
Five leading health systems are changing aspects of how they perform total knee replacements, as a result of data they collected that showed variations in length of stay, length of operating room time, and in-hospital complications. ...
Health
May 10, 2012 |
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Culturally sensitive research in United Arab Emirates pinpoints indoor air quality risks
The rapid shift from nomadic life to modern-day culture in the United Arab Emirates has exposed residents to significant indoor air quality risks that can lead to respiratory illness, according to a new study from the University ...
Health
May 09, 2012 |
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Costs of screening children for sudden cardiac death outweigh its benefits
An article, published in Circulation by Laurel K. Leslie, MD, MPH from the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and colleagues from Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medica ...
Cardiology
May 09, 2012 |
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Pregnant women taking risks with asthma medication
(Medical Xpress) -- Pregnant women are exposing themselves and their unborn babies to unnecessary risk by stopping their asthma medication without consulting their doctor.
Inflammatory disorders
May 08, 2012 |
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Biodiversity loss may cause increase in allergies and asthma
Declining biodiversity may be contributing to the rise of asthma, allergies, and other chronic inflammatory diseases among people living in cities worldwide, a Finnish study suggests. Emerging evidence indicates that commensal ...
Inflammatory disorders
May 07, 2012 |
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Scientists discover new type of cell with a key role in treatment-resistant asthma
For most people with asthma, a couple of puffs from an inhaler filled with steroids makes breathing easy. But if their lungs become resistant to the calming effect of that medicine, they live in fear of severe ...
Inflammatory disorders
May 07, 2012 |
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Feds to put up $1.9B for Oregon health overhaul
(AP) -- The Obama administration is buying into an ambitious health care initiative in Oregon, announcing Thursday it has tentatively agreed to chip in $1.9 billion over five years to help get the program off the ground.
Health
May 04, 2012 |
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US spends far more for health care than 12 industrialized nations, but quality varies
The United States spends more on health care than 12 other industrialized countries yet does not provide "notably superior" care, according to a new study from The Commonwealth Fund. The U.S. spent nearly $8,000 per person ...
Health
May 03, 2012 |
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Asthma (from the Greek άσθμα, ásthma, "panting") is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Asthma is clinically classified according to the frequency of symptoms, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and peak expiratory flow rate. Asthma may also be classified as atopic (extrinsic) or non-atopic (intrinsic).
It is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Treatment of acute symptoms is usually with an inhaled short-acting beta-2 agonist (such as salbutamol). Symptoms can be prevented by avoiding triggers, such as allergens and irritants, and by inhaling corticosteroids. Leukotriene antagonists are less effective than corticosteroids and thus less preferred.
Its diagnosis is usually made based on the pattern of symptoms and/or response to therapy over time. The prevalence of asthma has increased significantly since the 1970s. As of 2010, 300 million people were affected worldwide. In 2009 asthma caused 250,000 deaths globally. Despite this, with proper control of asthma with step down therapy, prognosis is generally good.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
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