The HCPLive Infectious Disease condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on respiratory health. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for asthma, COPD, interstitial lung disease, COVID-19, and more.
May 10th 2024
A Veterans Affairs study finds low alpha-1 antitrypsin phenotyping rates, indicating the need for improved healthcare provider education on AATD.
Benefits of Azithromycin Outweigh Risks in Elderly Hospitalized with Pneumonia
Among patients aged 65 years or older who are hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia, azithromycin lowers the risk of 90-day mortality in exchange for slightly increased odds of myocardial infarction compared to other antibiotic regimens.
Prophylaxis Protocols Improve Post-op Venous Thromboembolism Outcomes
June 25th 2014By emphasizing early postoperative mobilization alongside mandatory venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk stratification and concurrent electronic prophylaxis recommendations, hospitals can significantly reduce the likelihood of VTE complications among surgical patients.
COPD Patients Lack Action Plans for Life-threatening Exacerbations
June 19th 2014Though chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations remain a top cause of US hospitalizations, 62% of patients surveyed by the COPD Foundation did not know much about them, and 16% had no knowledge on flare-ups.
Snoring in Pregnant Hypertensive Women a Marker for Apnea Risk
Pregnant women with hypertension who also snored were found to be at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea, spurring the need for obstetric healthcare providers to consider sleep evaluation in hypertensive pregnancies.
Nintedanib Treatment Slows Disease Progression in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
May 21st 2014Results from two studies show that treatment with the novel kinase inhibitor nintedanib significantly slowed disease progression in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, only one study showed nintedanib had any effect on slowing deterioration in quality of life or reducing the risk of a first acute exacerbation compared with placebo.
Pirfenidone Improves Survival in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
May 21st 2014Recently published study results, when combined with results from previous clinical trials, show treatment with the antifibrotic drug pirfenidone slows disease progression and improves survival in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). These findings, if they lead the FDA to reevaluate and approve this drug, could be a game changer for patients with IPF, a disease marked by a high mortality rate and few treatment options.
AUGMENT Study Results Show Combination Therapy Superior to Monotherapy for COPD
May 20th 2014Treatment with a fixed-dose combination of aclidinium 400 µg and formoterol 12 µg significantly improved bronchodilation in patients with moderate to severe COPD compared with aclidinium or formoterol monotherapy alone.
Rosuvastatin Treatment Does Not Improve Lung Function in Patients with COPD
May 19th 2014Study results presented at the 2014 American Thoracic Society International Conference show that treatment with rosuvastatin reduces markers of inflammation in patients with COPD after 12 weeks, but is not associated with improvements in measures of lung function.
Simvastatin Does Not Affect Exacerbation Rates in High-Risk Patients with COPD
May 19th 2014Study results presented at the 2014 American Thoracic Society International Conference show that treatment with simvastatin did not decrease exacerbation rates or time to first exacerbation in patients with COPD.