Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a respiratory condition characterized by an obstruction of airflow into and out of the lungs. Millions of Americans are affected by this condition, which creates a great impact on their day to day lives. This has sparked the need to promote awareness of this detrimental condition, making the month of November COPD Awareness Month.
To help do our part, we have compiled a list of our best articles on the subject including how COPD relates to mild cognitive impairment and depression as well as new COPD treatments that may be implemented in the near future. To better round off your week, we have also included an article on asthma vs. COPD.
Asthma vs. COPD: Differences in symptoms, causes, and treatment options
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Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are both respiratory conditions that are chronic and affect a person’s breathing. With many shared similarities, the two can easily be misdiagnosed for one another and that is why testing is so important to determine the exact diagnosis.
According to a presentation given at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, nearly 50 percent of older adults with an obstructive airway disease have overlapping characteristics of COPD and asthma. Continue reading…
Senior COPD patients experience increased heart-related deaths with opioid use: Study
There is currently a drug overdose crisis in America. It is not due to seedy drug dealers selling drugs to addicts—the current addiction stems from prescription drugs. Opioid medications are some of the most common pain-relieving drugs on the market, but every day, more than 90 Americans die from overdosing on the stuff.
In 2015, more than 33,000 Americans died as a result of an opioid overdose.
A new study now finds that seniors with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) may increase their odds of heart-related death if they use opioid pain killers. Continue reading…
New treatment discovered for COPD and other lung diseases
A new drug may soon be available to better treat lung diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The latest study looked at the efficiency of the drug to treat COPD and other lung diseases. The drug contains FPS-ZM1, which was found to respond to inflammation in COPD during mouse trials.
Researcher Se-Ran Yang explained, “RAGE disturbances in pulmonary disorders are precise and effective strategies with beneficial clinical effects Blockade of RAGE as a novel clinical therapeutic for COPD ameliorates emphysema/COPD development and progression.” Continue reading…
COPD patients are twice as likely to develop mild cognitive impairment and memory loss: Study
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COPD patients are twice as likely to develop mild cognitive impairment and memory loss. The researchers looked at nearly 2,000 people aged 70 to 89. Of the participants, 1,600 were cognitively normal and 317 had mild cognitive impairment. Overall, 288 had COPD. It turned out that COPD patients were almost twice as likely to develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and the risk was higher among those who have had the lung disease for a long time. Continue reading…
COPD patients may be plagued by depression
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) may also be plagued by depression, compared to individuals without COPD. Researchers found that one in four COPD patients suffer from depressive symptoms. If left untreated, depression can lead to worsened health outcomes and even limit the effectiveness of COPD treatment.
In an alternative study of depression in COPD, researchers randomly selected a sample of five percent of Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with COPD and found that 22 percent had one or more psychological disorders. Continue reading…
