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All Lung Disorders Alerts
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The Mental Health Consequences of COPD
When you hear that you have a serious medical condition like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it's normal to feel anxious and worried about the future. And with the increasing limitations on daily activities that often accompany the condition, it's not surprising that you're likely to feel sad. But if these feelings last for more than a few weeks and interfere with your daily life, you could have an anxiety disorder or depression. More...
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Got Asthma? Get a Flu Shot
Outbreaks of the flu occur each winter and last for two to three months, leading to infection in 10 to 20% of the population. Influenza can worsen the symptoms experienced by people who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma. It can also make a person more prone to a bacterial infection that causes pneumonia, or the flu virus itself can cause pneumonia. More...
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COPD Patients: Take a Deep Breath
Proper technique is the key to benefiting from dry powder inhalers (DPIs) that treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. But data presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians suggest that many patients with COPD can't or don't know how to use their inhalers properly. More...
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Research on Dangers of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is characterized by repeated episodes of breathing cessation (apnea) during sleep. These episodes last from 10 seconds to nearly a minute, ending with a brief partial arousal. This can occur and disrupt sleep hundreds of times throughout one night. More...
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Getting Rid of Dust Mites
If you have asthma, it’s important to avoid asthma triggers whenever possible -- but sometimes it’s not so easy. A reader asks: I am meticulous about keeping my home dust free, but it doesn't seem to help my asthma. Am I doing something wrong? More...
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Conserving Energy When You Have COPD
If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you know that going about your daily routine can be exhausting. Even though activities such as bathing, grooming, and dressing require a great deal of energy, careful planning can help you get through these tasks more quickly and with less effort. Here's some straight-talking advice from Johns Hopkins. More...
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The Benefits of Oxygen Therapy
If you use supplemental oxygen, you may be wondering if your body will become dependent on it. Dr. Peter Terry, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Johns Hopkins, addesses this common concern. More...
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Asthma and GERD
Do you have asthma? If you do, there's a good chance you could also have gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Johns Hopkins discusses the link between these two common lung conditions. More...
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Got Asthma? Prevent Relapse With Corticosteroids
Most asthma attacks require medication. Milder attacks are most common and usually begin with tightness in the chest and a cough. Breathing may be accompanied by wheezing as well as by restlessness and difficulty sleeping. Sometimes these mild attacks seem to improve for a while, only to be followed by the reappearance of persistent symptoms which require treatment in a hospital. More...
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Talking About Flu Shots
In this excerpt from our Health After 50 newsletter, Johns Hopkins doctors answer frequently-asked questions about flu shots. Bottom Line Recommendation: Get your flu shot!
It's flu season once again. October and November are the best months for vaccination, but a shot in December or even later can still be beneficial. Amidst the reminders and recommendations to get a flu shot, many people remain unsure about side effects, the availability of a nasal vaccine, and whether… More...
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Breathing Advice From Dr. Terry
If you have COPD, you may have to learn how to breathe all over again! Breathing exercises, such as pursed-lip breathing or diaphragmatic breathing techniques can help you control your breathing and improve the function of your respiratory muscles. In this health alert, Dr. Peter B. Terry answers the question, 'I have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). I notice that I become short of breath when I bend over. Why is that?' … More...
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Thick Waist? Trouble Breathing!
Is there any relationship between waist circumference and lung function? A recent report suggests there is.
If you're experiencing shortness of breath, your doctor may ask you to use a treadmill or stationary bicycle to evaluate your shortness of breath and determine whether it's caused by a lung problem, heart disease, or simply by being out of shape. … More...
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Diet Do's and Don’ts For Patients With COPD
Recent studies confirm that diet affects your risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), providing yet another reason to eat healthy foods!
Your diet may influence your risk of COPD, studies show. One study of data from more than 51,000 men finds that those who consumed a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and fish had a 50%lower risk of developing COPD than men who ate a diet rich in refined grains, cured and… More...
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The Asthma-Cough Connection
Many people with asthma suffer from shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and tightness in the chest, but don't understand why these symptoms occur. In this Health Alert, Dr. Peter B. Terry, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Johns Hopkins explains why asthma causes coughing. … More...
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Treatment Options for COPD
Living with COPD is difficult -- it can keep you from the simplest tasks, such as dressing, washing, or doing light housework. What can you do? In this Health Alert, Peter Terry, M.D., Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Johns Hopkins discusses COPD treatment options. … More...
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Pulmonary Rehabilitation Improves Life for Emphysema Patients
Good news for patients with emphysema. Results from the NETT trial show that pulmonary rehabilitation can significantly improve health-related quality of life for patients with emphysema.
Emphysema is a disorder characterized by destruction of lung tissue, including its elastic fibers. By reducing the elasticity of the lungs and destroying the walls of some of the air sacs, emphysema leads to the collapse of the airways, reducing airflow. More than three million Americans have emphysema, which is… More...
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The Truth About Smoking Cessation
Quitting smoking is hard, but not impossible. In this excerpt from our newsletter Health After 50, Johns Hopkins reviews your options.
Despite a steady decline in the number of smokers, tobacco continues to cause twice as many deaths per year as AIDS, alcohol abuse, motor vehicle collisions, illicit drug use, and suicides combined. Understandably, knowledge of the dangers of smoking or the benefits of quitting smoking is typically not enough to motivate people to quit. Nicotine… More...
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Why a Shorter Course of Antibiotics for Pneumonia Makes Sense
A recent study shows that a short three-day course of antibiotics effectively treats pneumonia.
Pneumonia is an infection of the air sacs and surrounding lung tissue. Pneumonia is the sixth leading cause of death overall and the primary cause of death from infectious disease in the United States, claiming the lives of about 65,000 Americans each year. Most people who die of pneumonia are over the age of 65, and often they have had underlying disorders… More...
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COPD Support From Those Who Know Best
People living with COPD face many challenges and it's easy to feel overwhelmed, powerless, or alone. A COPD support group can help.
Finding an experienced physician to treat you or a loved one for lung disease is an important step. But however well trained, few doctors are likely to know what it really feels like to try to get through the day with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or lung cancer. The experts who can give… More...
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COPD Guidelines
A recent study shows that COPD patients often receive substandard hospital care. Our recommendation: COPD patients should keep a list of recommended tests and treatments with them in case they are hospitalized.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema -- is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Now a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (Volume 144, page 894) reports that two thirds of patients… More...
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New Research on Asthma
Older people with asthma tend to fare better than younger asthma patients, even though they have worse lung function, a new study concludes. The three-year study, reported in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (Volume 96, page 406), included people with severe or difficult-to-treat asthma. Participants were under a doctor’s care for at least one year and used a lot of medication or health care resources.… More...
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The Risks of Long-Term Oral Steroid Use
The higher the steroid dose, the more likely that side effects -- cataracts, osteoporosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, muscle weakness, hair loss -- may occur.
As a growing number of people with lung disease are living longer, more people are taking long-term oral steroids for asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other chronic lung conditions. … More...
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Viagra and Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by repeated episodes of breathing cessation (apnea) during sleep. These episodes last from 10 seconds to nearly a minute, ending with a brief partial arousal. Episodes of sleep apnea can occur (and disrupt sleep) hundreds of times throughout one night. An estimated 18 million Americans have obstructive sleep apnea, yet 95% of them are undiagnosed and untreated. Sleep apnea is about twice as common among men as among women. More...
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Spirometry for COPD
Have you ever had a spirometry lung function test? New research shows that most patients are diagnosed with COPD based only on their symptoms.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term that encompasses chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The symptoms of COPD develop slowly over many several years and include wheezing, a chronic cough that produces phlegm, and progressive shortness of breath. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. … More...
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Beware of VOCS
A new study finds that a chemical compound in many air fresheners, toilet bowl cleaners, and mothballs may harm the lungs. Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences found that exposure to a volatile organic compound (VOC) called 1,4 dichlorobenzene (1.4 DCB) may cause reductions in lung function.
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8 Asthma Triggers to Avoid
May 1 is World Asthma Day – the perfect time to review allergens that may trigger your asthma symptoms and to discuss steps you can take to breathe easier. Here Dr. Peter B. Terry, professor of medicine in the division of Pulmonary Medicine at Johns Hopkins, offers advice that can help – even if you suffer from chronic, long-term asthma. … More...
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Can Lung Cancer Screening Save Lives?
Johns Hopkins experts weigh the risks and benefits of CT scans to detect lung cancer.
Lung cancer screening made headlines recently when The Early Lung Cancer Action Project (ELCAP) published new findings about spiral computed tomography (CT). This extremely sensitive imaging test detects lung cancer tumors under 1 cm in diameter. Traditional chest x-rays only detect lung cancer tumors 1-2 cm in size (stage I lung cancer tumors are defined as 3 cm or smaller). If… More...
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Traveling Smart with Oxygen
Air travel offers special challenges for people who use supplement oxygen. Here’s some helpful advice from the experts at Johns Hopkins … Call your doctor as soon as you know you’re going away. If you have COPD and don’t normally use supplemental oxygen, you may now need it if you’re traveling by air, as low oxygen levels in the… More...
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Interstitial Lung Disease
Symptoms of interstitial lung disease vary widely and may persist for months, even years.
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) refers to a group of more than 200 chronic disorders in which lung tissue is damaged, the walls of the air sacs become inflamed, and scarring (fibrosis) begins in the interstitium -- the tissue between the air sacs. Though many of the disorders are uncommon, taken together interstitial lung disease is a frequent cause of respiratory problems, accounting… More...
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Your Lung Disorders Medical Team
Johns Hopkins professor Dr. Peter B. Terry talks about the team of doctors who will treat you if you have a serious lung disorder, such as lung cancer.
If you have a serious lung disorder, you may see several specialists during the course of your treatment. 'My patients often ask why they are seeing so many doctors,” says Peter B. Terry, M.D., author of the Johns Hopkins Lung Disorders White Paper. 'A person with lung… More...
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The "Quiet" Symptoms of Lung Cancer
Although lung cancer is often thought to be a 'silent disease,' with no symptoms appearing until it’s too late for treatment, a new study finds that some lung cancer patients had symptoms for many months before they were diagnosed. This study of 22 men and women recently diagnosed with lung cancer found that patients recalled having new symptoms for many months, typically during the year before their lung cancer diagnosis, no matter what the stage of their disease when diagnosed. More...
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Before You Take Antibiotics for Bronchitis, Consider This
Johns Hopkins professor Peter B. Terry, M.D. explains how overuse can lead to antibiotic resistance.
Many people who develop bronchitis go to their physician assuming they’ll receive antibiotics to clear up the bronchitis. But a recent study found that people with bronchitis or other uncomplicated lower respiratory tract infections who take antibiotics for their condition have little difference in relief of symptoms compared with patients who don’t take antibiotics. … More...
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The Instant Benefits of Quitting Smoking
Virtually the minute you quit smoking, your health begins to improve.
The negative effects of smoking are clear: One in every three people who starts smoking will die prematurely of a smoking-related illness, according to the American Lung Association. And one in every five deaths stems directly from tobacco exposure. But the good news is that it’s never too late to quit smoking. The benefits of smoking cessation begin within a few minutes of your last… More...
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Got Asthma? Beware of Drug Interactions
Play it safe -- talk to your doctor about ALL the medications you’re taking.
Many adults with asthma may take a number of prescription and over the-counter medications to treat a variety of conditions. Some of these medications may trigger or worsen asthma symptoms. If you take any of the medications discussed below, it’s important to talk to your doctor about their possible negative effects on your asthma. … More...
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All That Wheezes Is Not Asthma
Short of breath? Coughing? Johns Hopkins Doctors Explain Why You Should Take Your Symptoms Seriously.
Many lung disorders produce similar symptoms, but the severity and duration of these symptoms can vary considerably from disease to disease. The lung disorders can be acute (short and relatively severe) or chronic (persisting over a long time). … More...
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Flu Shot Alert
Can I get the flu from a flu shot? Read the answers to this and other questions about the flu.
It’s flu season once again. Amidst the reminders and recommendations to get a flu shot, many people remain unsure about side effects, the availability of a nasal vaccine, and whether or not a flu vaccine is needed every year. Here are answers to some common flu questions. … More...
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Asthma and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) -- What's The Connection?
Although the connection between GERD and asthma is not well understood, doctors have found that treating your GERD symptoms often relieves your asthma symptoms as well.
Up to 70% of people with asthma have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), compared with 20–30% of the general population. These statistics suggest that if you have severe, chronic asthma, which does not respond well to treatment, you are particularly susceptible to GERD. … More...
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Recent Findings on Dangers of Sleep Apnea
Men with Severe Sleep Apnea Have Higher Risk of Heart Problems Men with untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea have a higher incidence of fatal and nonfatal heart problems compared to other men. But, according to a study in the journal Lancet, the risk of heart problems is reduced when sleep apnea is treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the common therapy for the condition. The study included 264 healthy men,… More...
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There's No Such Thing as a "Safe" Cigarette: Debunking Smoking Myths
Does switching to light cigarettes offer any protection? Cutting back on how much you smoke? Here’s the latest research.
While smoking tobacco damages the body in various ways—for example, it increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, bladder cancer, and even erectile dysfunction—the most direct effects -of smoking are on the lungs. Smoking increases the risk of nearly every lung disorder and causes most cases of lung cancer, which kills more than 150,000 Americans each year.… More...
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