COPD News from COPD-International -- Vol #2

COPD-INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER
http://www.COPD-International.com

Dedicated to the philosophy
"You can learn to control this disease instead of letting it control you!"

Monday, March 10, 2003                         Volume #2 -- Issue #10
Susie Bowers, Editor -- Web-Editor@COPD-International.com
Copyright © 2002-2004   COPD-International.com   All rights reserved.

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            > > > > > > > > > > IN THIS ISSUE < < < < < < < < < <
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==> Welcome
==> COPD News
==> Recalls/Warnings
==> Featured Articles - Patient Safety Awareness Week
==> Nutrition/Wellness
==> COPD Community Update
==> Just for Fun
==> Recipe
==> Closing Thought
==> Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
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> > > > > > > > > > WELCOME < < < < < < < < < <
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-----ABOUT US
We are a group of fellow COPD sufferers, caregivers and others
interested in this disease. Our online community is devoted to helping
one another to live the best life possible with this debilitating illness
through interactive support.

As many of us have found, COPD is a disease of many faces,
contradictions and components. Therefore, our diversified
community is here to share its combined wealth of knowledge
and information, so we may all become well-informed patients
and take control of our disease rather than letting this disease
control us.

-----EDITORIAL COMMENTS
This week, March 9-15, is the second annual Patient Safety
Awareness Week, which is part of a nationwide campaign to
curb medical errors. The national "Speak Up" program urges
patients to speak up about their medical questions.

This national program was launched to impel patients to take a
role in preventing health care errors by becoming active, involved
and informed participants on the health care team.

This issue focuses on the "Speak Up" program and what we all
can do to be better-informed patients.

We welcome your input and participation in our newsletters and
will review for publication any pertinent information you wish to share
with others on COPD and related topics. If you wish to contribute to the
newsletter, please contact us at Newsletter@COPD-International.com

Yours in health ...

Susie
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> > > > > > > > > > COPD NEWS < < < < < < < < < <
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-----ASTHMA - JUST THE FACTS, PLEASE
Here's a good way for anyone newly diagnosed with asthma to
get started. This link leads to 10 basic things every asthmatic
should know and do. See Story:
http://asthma.about.com/library/weekly/aa022403a.htm

-----ASTHMA - REDUCING AIRWAY REMODELING
According to the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical
Care, this study shows that in patients with mild to moderate
asthma, a high dose of inhaled Fluticasone given over six weeks
can significantly affect airway remodeling by reducing both
submucosal vascularity and membrane thickness. See Report:
http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/167/5/751

-----REVIEW - REHAB IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE
In patients with COPD, respiratory rehabilitation is more effective
than conventional community care for improving health-related
quality of life. See Review:
http://www.acpjc.org/Content/138/2/issue/ACPJC-2003-138-2-043.htm

-----CANCER RISK DECLINES IN FORMER SMOKERS
The risk for lung cancer is increased for both current and former
smokers compared with never smokers and declines for former
smokers with increasing duration of abstinence. The decline in
excess lung cancer risk among former smokers is prolonged
compared with other studies. See Observations:
http://www.jco.org/cgi/content/abstract/21/5/921

-----CHECKING FOR STRESS AFTER THE TEST
Doctors who use treadmill tests to diagnose heart disease could
better predict the risk of death if they paid more attention to what
happens to a patient's heart after he or she steps off the treadmill,
a large study found. Experts predicted the findings will lead doctors
to focus more on the way the heart recovers from a workout.
See Study Details:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/27/health/main542218.shtml

-----CHECK OUT THAT NAGGING COUGH
Your cold seemed to clear up a week ago, but you've still got a
nagging cough. How do you know whether you should visit the
doctor? According to the Mayo Clinic, you should check out a
persistent cough if:

-- You have a known risk of lung disease, such as previous lung
   cancer, COPD or are a past or current smoker.
-- The cough lasts four to six weeks. Possible causes could be
   undiagnosed asthma, backup of stomach acid into the
   esophagus or even side effects from certain medications.
-- You're coughing and have a fever or shortness of breath.
-- You notice a change in sputum color. Blood-tinged sputum
   requires urgent medical care, especially if you have chest pain.
   (HealthScoutNews)

-----SMOKING CESSATION CUTS HOSPITAL STAYS
Smoking cessation is associated with a reduced risk of hospital
admissions among patients with COPD, according to a study
published in Thorax. See Article:
http://www.clinnixpro.net/news/article.php?id=1744

-----EX-SMOKERS FACE ULCERS, COLDS
Smokers should be warned they face higher risks of developing
mouth ulcers and colds when they quit, warn experts. Doctors
found smokers developed the unpleasant side effects up to two
weeks after quitting. See Details:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2793795.stm

-----DIAGNOSING PULMONARY HYPERTENSION
This article concludes that, despite a statistically significant
correlation with directly measured values, estimation of systolic
pulmonary artery pressure by echocardiography is frequently
inaccurate in patients with advanced lung disease and leads to
considerable over diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension.
See Full Article:
http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/167/5/735

Make browsing in our Library and catching up on general medical
news in our Reading Room part of your daily surfing routine at
http://www.copd-international.com/Library/
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      > > > > > > > > > > RECALLS/WARNINGS < < < < < < < < < <
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-----U.S. FDA TO IMPOSE NEW RULES ON SUPPLEMENTS
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) moved to impose
new rules on dietary supplements that would force manufacturers to
make clean and accurately labeled products.

The changes will not tell consumers whether the supplements - like
vitamin C, ephedra, St. John's wort and ginkgo biloba - are dangerous
nor whether they work.

The agency, officials said, is responding to many cases in which bacteria,
glass, pesticides, lead and other contaminants have been found in food
supplements, and to cases in which products had more - or, more
commonly, far less - active ingredient in each pill or capsule than the
label claimed. See Article
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/08/health/08DIET.html

To view drug recalls, please go to our Library section
at http://www.copdinternational.com/library/contents.htm
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      > > > > > > > > > > FEATURED ARTICLES < < < < < < < < < <
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-----PATIENTS URGED TO SPEAK UP!
March 9-15 is the second annual Patient Safety Awareness Week.

As part of a nationwide campaign to curb medical errors, a leading
health care safety group is urging patients to speak up about their
medical questions. See Details:
http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=2346491

-----TIPS ON HOW TO BE A PROACTIVE

The "Speak Up" program offers health care consumers practical
advice to keep themselves and their families out of harm's way and
have a positive health care experience. See Advice:
http://www.jcaho.org/news+room/latest+news+release/national+patient+
safety+week.htm
      Editor's Note: This is an exceptionally long link. Please cut and paste the
      entire address into your browser if you have trouble opening the page.

-----QUESTIONS FOR THE DOCTOR
http://www.copd-international.com/Library/questions.htm

----PRINTABLE CHECKLISTS
http://www.copd-international.com/Library/Checklist.htm
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      > > > > > > > > > > NUTRITION/WELLNESS < < < < < < < < <
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-----ONE-MINUTE TEST COULD DIAGNOSE STROKE
A team of stroke researchers has devised a one-minute test that
can be used by ordinary people to diagnose stroke - and the test
is so simple that even a child can use it. Such an easy, quick test
could potentially save thousands of stroke sufferers from the
disabling effects by allowing faster treatment. See Test:
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/61/67280.htm

-----OUCH, OUCH, OUCH!
Aches and pains abound - especially as we top 40 and become
"middle-aged." But the key is knowing the difference between
what you can treat yourself, how you can treat it and what needs
a doctor's attention. See Tips:
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/61/67337.htm

-----REBUILDING THE NUTRITIONAL PYRAMIDS
The latest food pyramid, called the Healthy Eating Pyramid, won't
be the last, but for now, it may be the best. The latest addition, called
the Healthy Eating Pyramid, reflects the most current nutrition research
available, according to its creators at Harvard School of Public Health
and Harvard Medical School. See Update:
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/325/20830.html
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    > > > > > > > > > > COPD COMMUNITY UPDATE < < < < < < < < <
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-----WELCOME NEW SUBSCRIBERS!
We welcome all our new subscribers and invite you to join our
e-mail lists and check out our chat rooms, where you can talk freely
about COPD in an atmosphere of fellowship. The link to the chat
schedules can be found on our Home Page or just drop in anytime
you have a need to talk.

-----DAILY CHATS
Scheduled chats with hosts are held daily and we invite everyone
to stop in and visit. Also during the week, special on-topic chats
are held. Unlike our open chats, we ask that these chats stay on
topic. We look forward to seeing you. The chat room schedule can
be accessed at http://www.copd-international.com/Chat-schedule.htm

-----LUNG TRANSPLANT CHAT
Every Tuesday at 7 p.m. (EST), a special on-topic chat is held on
lung transplants and is hosted by Tony Hamel. Tony had a single lung
transplant February 2001. This chat is held in the COPD Community
Room. Access the COPD room through the COPD community link off
the Home Page or directly at
http://www.copd-international.com/COPD/chat.htm

You can read more about Tony and his story in our library. The
direct link is http://www.copd-international.com/Library/lungtx.htm

-----EXERCISE CHAT
Sundays at 7 p.m. (EST) in the Exercise Chat Room, join Host Billie
in this informal chat setting to discuss exercise, getting started,
motivational tips, advanced tips and much more. All are welcome
who have an interest in any type or level of exercise. Exercise Chat
Room: http://www.copd-international.com/exercise/chat.htm

-----WEEKLY CAREGIVERS CHAT
On Wednesdays at 7 p.m. (EST), we invite all caregivers who are in
need of mutual support to join host Kitty in this weekly chat. You can
reach the Caregivers Chat Room at
http://www.copd-international.com/caregivers/chat.htm
(Note: Only caregivers in this chat please.)

-----QUIT SMOKING NOW PROGRAM AND CHAT
If you want online support to quit smoking, join our interactive
Quit Smoking Now (QSN) Program, where community members
support one another in stopping smoking and remaining smoke-free.
http://www.copd-international.com/quit_smoking/

For more information on the QSN Program, contact Diane, program
coordinator, at Newsletter@COPD-International.com . Diane is also available
for scheduling one-on-one chats. This is in addition to the regularly
scheduled chat on Mondays at 9 p.m. (EST). The chat room can be
accessed at http://www.copd-international.com/quit_smoking/chat.htm

For more information on our chat rooms, please contact Deb,
chat coordinator, at Chat@COPD-International.com

-----KEEP IN TOUCH PROGRAM
Our Keep in Touch Program (KIT) is a program set up for those of
us that live alone, or persons who desire a way to maintain daily
contact with a small group of people like themselves for reassurance.
For details, go to http://www.copd-international.com/Keep_in_Touch/

-----LOVING THOUGHTS
Express your loving thoughts, get-well wishes and prayers for
our fellow community members, who are very ill or hospitalized.
To participate in this program of loving concern, please go to
http://www.copd-international.com/Loving_Thoughts/

----- Our condolences go out to the family of Tim Jones, who was
hospitalized March 2 and died March 7. To share your personal
condolences with his family, there is a TLC page set up at:
http://members.tripod.com/~copd_tlc/TimJones.html

-----VISIT THE BILL HORDEN LIBRARY
In addition to the "COPD Survival Guide," our Library includes the
other works of COPD Advocate Bill Horden, a pioneer of online
support for those with COPD. To browse the Horden Library, go
to http://www.copd-international.com/COPDadvocate/

-----VOLUNTEERS - LEND A HELPING HAND
This site is supported and maintained by COPDers. It is not
uncommon for us to have severe pouts with our illness. Due to
our health issues, many of us need downtime to recuperate and
get back on our feet.

Therefore, a strong team of volunteers is most important. If you
want to volunteer, please contact us at
http://www.copd-international.com/volunteer.htm

Don't forget to checkout all our support programs listed on our
Home Page at www.COPD-International.com
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> > > > > > > > > > JUST FOR FUN < < < < < < < < < <
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-----3D CUBE GAME

Slide and stack 3D cubes and match three or more to wipe
them from the board before you run out of time.
http://zone.msn.com/cubis/

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> > > > > > > > > > RECIPE < < < < < < < < <
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-----SHORTCUT BEEF STEW
This homemade beef stew is savory, satisfying and simple.

Prep/Cook Time 20 min.
Ingredients

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. boneless beef sirloin, cut into 1" cubes
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's Tomato Soup
1 can Campbell's French Onion Soup
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 bag (24 oz.) frozen vegetables for stew

Directions:

-- HEAT oil in skillet. Add beef and cook until browned and
   juices evaporate, stirring often.
-- ADD soups, Worcestershire and vegetables. Heat to a boil.
   Cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes or until vegetables
   are tender. Serves 4. (Campbell's Kitchen)

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> > > > > > > > > > CLOSING THOUGHT < < < < < < < < <
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Imagination is not a talent of some men, but is the health of every man.

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson --

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Thank You For Your Readership
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Notes
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All information provided should be judged as individual "opinions"
and discussed with a qualified health-care professional before any
remedy, treatment or therapy is started.