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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, Jan. 30, 2012
Volume #11 -- Issue #5
Susie Bowers, Editor -- Web-Editor@COPD-International.com
Copyright © 2012 COPD-International.com All rights reserved.
FREE BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY! Subscription information is at
the end of this newsletter. THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE
PLEASE DO NOT REPLY. This newsletter is published on Mondays.
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> > > > > > > > >
IN THIS ISSUE < < < < < < < < <
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==> Welcome
==> Follow Us
==> COPD News
==> New Hope/Innovations
==> Alerts/Recalls/Warnings
==> Featured Articles - Emphysema Gets the CSI Treatment
==> Nutrition/Wellness
==> Community Update
==> Link Directory
==> Just for Fun
==> Recipe
==> Closing Thought
==> COPD Word of the Week
==> 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.
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. Also, periodically we will
feature stories and information from guest writers. If you wish to
contribute to the newsletter, please contact us at
Newsletter@COPD-International.com.
Yours in health,
Susie in Delaware
Editor's Note: There are several exceptionally long links in
this edition. Please cut and paste the entire address into
your browser if you have trouble opening the page.
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> > > > > > > > > COPD NEWS < < < < < < < < <
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EMERGENCY HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS FOR LUNG DISEASE RISE
The number of patients with lung problems who have been admitted to
hospital in an emergency in Wales has reached a 10-year high. New
figures show there were more than 46,000 emergency admissions in
2010-11, a rise of 17 percent since 2001-02. There has also been an
18 percent increase in the number of emergency admissions for
pneumonia - the biggest rise in all lung-related conditions.
Experts have called for more services to help patients with chronic
lung conditions, such as COPD, manage their condition better.
Pulmonary rehabilitation has been shown to help reduce the number of
times a patient is admitted to hospital as an emergency. See More:
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2012/01/23/emergency-hospital-
admissions-for-lung-patients-at-a-10-year-high-91466-30176318
COPD PATIENTS ADMITTED ON WEEKENDS MORE LIKELY TO DIE
When COPD patients are admitted to the hospital matters, according
to new research out of Spain. Investigators found that individuals
with acute exacerbations are more likely to die if admitted to
hospital on the weekend than on a weekday.
"Differences in hospital staffing may influence outcomes for
patients with acute conditions, including acute exacerbations of
COPD, depending on which day of the week the patients are admitted,"
the authors wrote, noting that recognizing the increased risk factor
associated with admission days could "be of crucial importance for
curtailing cost and reducing mortality."
For the study, data on 289,077 adults (69.9 percent men) were
reviewed. Of the 69,770 who were admitted at weekends, 12.9 percent
died, compared to 12.1 percent of the 219,307 patients admitted
during the week. After accounting for age, gender and comorbid
conditions, patients admitted to hospital on the weekend still had
significantly higher in-hospital mortality rates than those admitted
on weekdays.
The authors conclude, "Efforts should be made to increase the
efficacy and decrease the fallibility of doctors during periods of
short staffing." Source:
http://www.rtmagazine.com/respiratoryreport%5C2012-01-19_04.asp
SLEEP APNEA TIED TO FATAL HEART ISSUES FOR WOMEN, TOO
Severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was associated with a risk of
cardiovascular death in women, but continuous positive airway
pressure (CPAP) seemed to reduce the risk, according to a small
Spanish study. In a 116-patient, observational study, those with
severe obstructive sleep apnea had a cardiovascular mortality rate
of 3.71 per 100 person-years compared with the control group's rate
of 0.28 per 100 person years, Dr. Francisco Campos-Rodriguez, from
Valme University Hospital in Seville, Spain, and colleagues found.
Women with mild to moderate apnea had a mortality rate of 0.94 per
100 person-years (P =0.034 compared with the control group), they
reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Despite prevalence data
suggesting that 2 percent to 3 percent of middle-age women have
obstructive sleep apnea, most of the studies on both apnea and
cardiovascular effects have been done exclusively in men. See
Article:
http://www.tripdatabase.com/doc/1290985-Sleep-Apnea-Tied-to-Fatal-Heart-
Issues-for-Women--Too--CME-CE-#content
QUESTION: DOES COLD WEATHER MAKE EMPHYSEMA WORSE?
Answer MayoClinic.com from Dr. Edward C. Rosenow III
It may. Breathing cold, dry air causes narrowing (constriction) of
the airways in some people with chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
This restricts airflow into and out of the lungs and makes breathing
more difficult. To reduce the effects of cold air on your breathing:
- Wear a cold-air face mask when you're outside. You should put the
- mask on before going out. Cold-air face masks are available at many
- drugstores and medical supply stores. If you don't have a mask, wear
- a soft scarf pulled over your nose and mouth. -- Breathe in through
- your nose instead of your mouth when you're outside. This helps warm
- and humidify the air before it enters your lungs. -- Use your
- bronchodilator about 30 minutes before going outside. A
- bronchodilator helps open constricted airways. -- Use a home
- humidifier to moisturize indoor air when it's cold and dry outside.
Before making a permanent move from a warm climate, your doctor may
suggest that you spend some time in a cold climate to see how it
affects your emphysema. Source:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/emphysema/AN00708
STUDY: COPD ASSESSMENT TEST PREDICTS EXACERBATION SEVERITY
The COPD Assessment Test provides a reliable score of exacerbation
severity in patients with COPD, according to a study published
online in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care
Medicine.
Alex J. Mackay of the University College London Medical School and
colleagues followed 161 patients enrolled in the London COPD cohort.
The patients completed the CAT at baseline while in a stable state,
at exacerbation and during recovery. Frequent exacerbations were
defined as two or more exacerbations per year.
"The CAT provides a reliable score of exacerbation severity, and its
incorporation into assessment strategies may aid health care
professionals to determine the severity of exacerbations and
potentially assist management," the authors write. The study was
funded by GlaxoSmithKline. See Article:
http://www.doctorslounge.com/index.php/news/pb/26297
EXPERT TIPS TO MINIMIZE INDOOR ALLERGIES
The Facts From Healthy Home Specialists
Everyday Health went to the experts - home designers and allergists
- to get tips on how to keep a healthy home when you have allergies.
See the Answers:
http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergies/expert-tips-to-minimize-indoor-allergies.aspx?
xid=nl_EverydayHealthWomensHealth_20120127
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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> > > > > > > > NEW HOPE / INNOVATIONS < < < < < < < < <
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TREND TO PORTABILITY DRIVING GROWTH FOR OXYGEN THERAPY
Wellingborough, UK - The aging population and the increased
prevalence of COPD are the most common contributors to the increase
in the number of patients receiving long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT).
With the increasing number of ambulatory patients requiring portable
solutions, there is an increased demand for portable solutions.
Patients are now becoming more involved in the decision-making
process and are starting to demand better products, generally to
improve how they live. The practice of providing LTOT is improving
and increasing the quality of patient care. As the market moves to a
"non-delivery" mode of home oxygen therapy provision, increased
demand for portable ambulatory products is expected. A new report
from InMedica predicts that the world market for oxygen therapy
devices will be worth more than $1.1 billion by 2015. See Story:
http://www.dotmed.com/news/story/17860/
ECMO AS A BRIDGE TO LUNG TRANSPLANTATION
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support in awake, non-
intubated patients may be an effective strategy for bridging
patients to lung transplantation, according to a new study from
Germany. "As waiting times for donor organs continue to increase, so
does the need for bridging strategies for patients with end-stage
lung disease awaiting transplantation," said Dr. Marius M. Hoeper,
professor of medicine at the Hannover Medical School in Hannover,
Germany. "Our study shows that ECMO support in awake and
non-intubated patients may be an alternative to intubation and
mechanical ventilation, and may result in better survival." The
findings were published online ahead of print publication in the
American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and
Critical Care Medicine. See Story:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/ats-emo011712.php
BLOOD PRESSURE DRUGS PREVENTS LUNG DAMAGE IN MICE
Working with mice, scientists at Johns Hopkins have successfully
used a commonly prescribed blood pressure medicine, losartan
(Cozaar), to prevent almost all of the lung damage caused from two
months of | exposure to cigarette smoke. The treatment specifically
targeted lung tissue breakdown, airway wall thickening, inflammation
and lung over-expansion.
As a result of the experiments, efforts already are under way at
Johns Hopkins for a clinical trial of the drug in people with
smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the
long-term consequence of smoking and for which, until now, there are
no known potential treatments to prevent or repair the resulting
lung damage.
See Article:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105144207.htm
NEW TEST MAY HELP DETERMINE EARLY LUNG CANCER SURVIVAL
A new test that measures the activity of certain genes in cancer
cells may help doctors tell which early, non-small-cell lung cancers
are the most dangerous. The hope is that doctors can use that
information to figure out which patients might benefit from more
aggressive treatment for their early lung cancers. Lung cancer is
one of the most common cancer types. It's also one of the deadliest,
even for the lucky few who catch their tumors while they are still
small and have not spread. Unlike stage I breast cancer, which has a
five-year survival rate of 88 percent, stage I non-small-cell lung
cancer has a five-year survival rate of 45 percent to 49 percent,
according to the American Cancer Society. See Story:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500368_162-57367167/gene-test-may-help-determine
-early-lung-cancer-survival/
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> > > > > > > ALERTS / RECALLS / WARNINGS < < < < < < <
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INJUNCTION BLOCKS RANBAXY FROM MARKETING IN U.S.
The U.S. Justice Department filed a consent decree preventing
generic drug giant Ranbaxy from selling drugs made at four of its
manufacturing plants until it brings them into compliance with the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) quality standards. As part
of the order, Ranbaxy has agreed "to remedy deviations from the
current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) requirements and to
correct data integrity problems at numerous facilities," according
to a statement from the Justice Department.
The order comes after the FDA had imposed an import alert on three
manufacturing plants in India and instructed Ranbaxy to fix problems
at its Ohm Laboratories factory in Gloversville, N.Y., which has
since been closed. According to the FDA, Ranbaxy had not only failed
to take adequate steps to bring the facilities into compliance, it
"continued ... to falsify information on drug applications." See
Article:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/ProductAlert/Prescriptions/30852
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE RECALLS
The link below leads to the list of active recall cases of the
United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS). See current recalls at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fsis_Recalls/Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp
U.S. FDA RECALLS
To view current U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalls,
go to
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html
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> > > > > > > > > FEATURED ARTICLES < < < < < < < < <
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Emphysema Gets the CSI Treatment
HOW SMOKE INDUCED EMPHYSEMA DEVELOPS IN THE BODY
Sometimes researchers act like detectives when it comes to diseases.
By exploring the "crime scene" of emphysema, a new study gets to the
root of the disease. A new study has mapped how emphysema, also
known as COPD, develops in the lungs.
From the lighting of a cigarette to what happens in the body,
researchers tracked the process of emphysema. This can lead to a
better understanding of the disease and also help to develop new
treatments for emphysema.
The four-year study was led by Dr. Farrah Kheradmand, professor of
medicine and immunology at Baylor College of Medicine. The most
important discovery about emphysema was that it was specific result
of an immune response caused by smoking.
Emphysema was previously believed to be a consequence of long-term
smoking according to Dr. Kheradmand. Instead of emphysema being the
result of the collective damage caused by smoking over the years,
smoking triggers specific immune system responses that can lead to
emphysema.
By dissecting all the cells that were evident during emphysema and
smoking, researchers began to understand what factors led to
emphysema. These factors are called epigenetics. Epigenetic factors
affect gene expression after DNA is formed. Smoking is an
environmental epigenetic factor. Smoking, as a factor, can affect
lung inflammation, which can lead to lung damage, emphysema or
cancer.
Among the evidence in the crime scene of the lungs were antigen-
presenting cells (APC), which are white blood cells that are used by
the immune system to fight off foreign bacteria. See Full Story:
http://www.dailyrx.com/news-article/how-smoke-induced-emphysema-develops-body-
17059.html
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> > > > > > > > > NUTRITION/WELLNESS < < < < < < < < <
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BRAIN TEASERS MAKE SENIORS MORE OPEN TO NEW VENTURES
A cognitive training program that included Sudoku and crossword
puzzles made older adults more open to new experiences, according to
a preliminary study. After 16-weeks of training in inductive
reasoning, participants demonstrated more willingness to try new
activities than a control group, reported Joshua Jackson, PhD, from
Washington University in St. Louis, and colleagues in Psychology and
Aging.
Older adults undergo changes in personality, including shifts in
openness or willingness to seek out new and cognitively challenging
experiences. A number of interventions have been designed to enrich
cognitive functioning in older adults, but little has been done to
develop openness, the authors explained. See Story:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Geriatrics/GeneralGeriatrics/30752
MEDICATION AND FALL PREVENTION
Many older adults take multiple medications to treat health
conditions. Taking four or more medications significantly increases
the risk for falling because there are a greater number of side
effects associated with multiple medication use and the side effects
are often more intense. Interactions between medications can also
cause side effects. Furthermore, medications react differently in
the body as a person ages which can increase the risk for falling.
See Tips for Safe Medication Use:
http://www.fallpreventiontaskforce.org/falls_medication.htm
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> > > > > > > > > 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. For new subscribers, archives of back
issues of the newsletter can be accessed at
http://www.copd-international.com/Library/newsletters/archives.htm
KEEPING IN TOUCH (KIT) WITH OUR COPD FRIENDS
Over the years, we have had many of our active COPD friends simply
disappear suddenly. As COPD patients, we would begin to worry about
them, not knowing if they were ill, in the hospital, or worse.
Others who live alone have found themselves in the unfortunate
situation of winding up in the hospital due to an emergency, with no
means to contact their friends and support lists. For many, COPD
also tends to make hermits of them, with diminishing contact with
others. All three of these situations have been addressed in the
new "Keep In Touch" program at COPD International. For more
information, or to join, go to:
http://www.copd-international.com/Keep_in_Touch/
DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US
Some we have known by name, others only by nickname and still
others have remained totally unknown, preferring to read, learn and
seek comfort in the knowledge that they were not alone.
In honor all COPD patients everywhere, both known and
unknown,
who have gone on before us, we have dedicated a section
of the
website. See Memorials:
http://www.COPD-International.com/remembering
MESSAGE BOARD ON SURGICAL OPTIONS FOR COPD
Thanks to the generous contribution of time and experience by some
of our regulars here at COPD International, we were able to open a
new message board for the exchange of information and support on
surgical options for COPD. This new board will cover subjects such
as LVRS, transplants and valve procedures, etc. For a complete
listing of all our message boards (forums), please go to
http://www.copd-international.com/messageboards.htm
COPD NEWS/INFORMATION FEATURE
"COPD Info" brings you the latest news, articles and
information from a wide variety of resources on a very timely basis.
http://www.copd-international.com/COPDInfo/
For those of you with news readers, there is also an RSS link.
LOVING THOUGHTS
To express your loving thoughts, get-well wishes and prayers for
our fellow community members, who are very ill or hospitalized,
please go to
http://www.copd-international.com/Loving_Thoughts/
HOSTED CHAT SCHEDULE
We currently have a total of 42 Hosted Chats. There is a mix of open
chats plus specialty chats as listed below. The full chat schedule
is at:
http://www.copd-international.com/Chat-schedule.htm
NEWCOMERS CHAT
Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. - Hosted by Gal and Lyn. New
Time
-- Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. -
Hosted by Gal and Lyn.
Officially titled "Newcomers Chat," you do not have to
be new to
COPD to join us! It is for the newly
diagnosed, new computer users or those that are
unfamiliar and want to learn more about how chat rooms
work.
These chats will be slow paced to give all time
to keep
up.
These
chats are held in the Special COPD Topic Room at
http://www.copd-international.com/COPD/chat.htm If you
are a
mIRC or Web TV user, the room is #copd
TWO COPD FOCUSED CHATS These chats are a change from our
"open"
chat style to a more structured "COPD focused" type of
chat that
is geared exclusively to discussions surrounding our COPD
diagnosis and its related life issues.
-- Mondays at 3 p.m. hosted by Lyn
and James
-- Fridays at 10:30 a.m. hosted by
Naomi
ON-TOPIC CHATS
-- Caregivers: (NEW TIMES) Hosts
Gal and Lyn
(Note: Only caregivers in these
chats please.)
http://www.copd-international.com/caregivers/chat.htm
--
Monday through Friday at 9:30 to
10:30pm --
-- Quit Smoking Now (QSN): Daily
at 7:30 p.m. with Hosts
James, Gal and Sue
http://www.copd-international.com/quit_smoking/chat.htm.
For more information on all our chat rooms, please contact our
chat coordinator, at chat@copd-international.com.
______________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > > > LINK DIRECTORY < < < < < < < < < < <
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SPECIAL-INTEREST PROGRAMS
-- General Information on Clinical Trials
http://www.COPD-International.com/Library/clinical_trials.htm
-- Continually Updated List of COPD Clinical Trials
http://www.COPD-International.com/Library/trials.htm
-- Quit Smoking Support
http://www.COPD-International.com/quit_smoking/
-- Exercise Forum
http://www.COPD-International.com/exercise/
-- Caregivers Support
http://www.copd-international.com/caregivers/
-- COPD Advocate Bill Horden Library
http://www.copd-international.com/COPDAdvocate/
-- COPD Library
http://www.COPD-International.com/Library/
-- Welcome Wagon
http://www.COPD-International.com/welcome/
-- To Volunteer
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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LAUGH FOR THE HEALTH OF IT!
See Jokes and Health Facts
http://www-library.ncifcrf.gov/jokes.aspx
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> > > > > > > > > RECIPE < < < < < < < < < <
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Editor's Note: Recipes are not diabetes-friendly
unless
otherwise noted.
GOURMET CHICKEN SANDWICH
Saut?d chicken breasts topped with a mayonnaise/mustard/rosemary
spread and graced by 2 slices of garlic rosemary focaccia bread.
These sandwiches are great when you want a quick supper, but not
something from the freezer. They taste like an expensive sandwich
from an upscale deli. The spread and the chicken can be made in
advance, and the chicken can be eaten hot or cold.
Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 15 Min
Ready In: 25 Min
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to
1/4 inch thickness
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
8 slices garlic and rosemary focaccia bread
ground black pepper to taste
Directions
1. Sprinkle pepper on one side of each chicken cutlet.
Heat oil
in a large skillet; brown garlic in oil, then add
chicken,
pepper-side-down. Saut?chicken until cooked through and
juices
run clear, about 12 to 15 minutes.
2. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, mustard and
rosemary.
Mix together and spread mixture on 4 slices focaccia
bread.
Place 1 chicken cutlet on each of these slices, then top
each
with another bread slice.
(Allrecipes)
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> > > > > > > > COPD WORD OF THE WEEK < < < < < < < <
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Breath sounds:
sounds heard through a stethoscope. The intensity of the
sound
of air moving in and out of the lungs may indicate the
amount of
obstruction.
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> > > > > > > > CLOSING THOUGHT < < < < < < < <
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"We cannot do everything
at once, but we can do something at once."
- Calvin Coolidge -
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> > > > > > > >
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Recommend the COPD-International Newsletter to a friend!
Thank You For Your Readership
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Notes
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Newsletters are archived in the COPD-International online Library.
However, links to outside sources cannot be guaranteed after
publication date.
"COPD-International Newsletter" is an opt-in ezine available by
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© 2011 COPD-International.com, except where otherwise indicated. All
rights reserved worldwide. Reprint only with permission from
copyright holder(s). All trademarks are property of their respective
owners. All content provided "as is" without warranty of any kind.
All Disclaimers Apply: The information and guidance provided in this
newsletter should never be interpreted as a diagnosis, treatment
plan or any other form of professional service.
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.
Links in this newsletter to other Internet sites are not
endorsements of any products or services associated with such sites.
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