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 6th 2024
Data from the ORCA-V trial suggests cytisinicline, a plant-based medication, aids adults in quitting e-cigarettes.
School-based Educational Intervention Improves Asthma Self-Treatment among Young Children
October 30th 2013A "service learning" collaboration that matches respiratory therapy students with elementary schools improves kids' and caregivers' awareness of asthma triggers and reduces unscheduled inhaler use.
Smoking Cessation and Off-Label Therapies May Be Most Potent Treatment for COPD Exacerbations
October 29th 2013Doctors treating patients for COPD exacerbations may have recourse to a variety of treatments, including some off-label applications of existing drugs, and smoking cessation may result in a reduction of repeat occurrences.
Less Bleeding Associated with Novel Anticoagulants, but Use Not Recommended for all Patients
October 29th 2013Presentation at CHEST 2013 reviewed key considerations surrounding the treatment of pulmonary embolism and other venous thromboembolic events with the newer class of oral anticoagulant agents.
When Prophylaxis Is Contraindicated, Inferior Vena Cava Filter Can Benefit VTE
October 22nd 2013Mechanical prophylaxis for pulmonary embolism (PE) in the form of an inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) is an option for surgical patients who can't undergo chemical venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis.
Over-the-Counter Probiotics Can Lower Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Risk
October 1st 2013A systematic review of 14 randomized controlled trials found a probiotic Lactobacillus strain taken daily lowers the risk of acute upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) without increasing the risk of adverse events.
Inadequate Vitamin D May Increase Risk of Certain Rheumatic Diseases
While substantial evidence already shows several genetic and environmental elements factor into immune-mediated rheumatic disease susceptibility, a recent review of hospital admissions data suggests vitamin D deficiency can single-handedly elevate a patient's risk of developing certain chronic conditions within that group of disorders.
Hospital Performance Rankings Don't Capture Cancer Operation Complexity
Although many US hospitals tout quality improvement in surgical outcomes, new research findings released at the national conference of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) show that taking cancer operation performance into account would deliver a more accurate hospital rating.
Hyponatremia Increases Pneumonia Severity in Hospitalized Children
Although previous studies have already established that low serum sodium levels commonly occur in critically ill children who require hospitalization, a team of Polish researchers aimed to more closely evaluate the link between hyponatremia and the severity of a child's community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).
Hospitals Receive New Checklists in 10 Patient Safety Areas
The federal government's Partnership for Patients Hospital Engagement Networks (HENs), which work to improve patient care through implementation and dissemination of best practices in clinical quality, have released checklists for 10 areas of patient care.
Researchers Test Correlation between IBS Symptoms and Methane, Hydrogen Gas Concentrations
Researchers at the Hanyang University College of Medicine set the record straight on the association between IBS symptoms and methane and hydrogen gas produced by intestinal fermentation of lactulose and excreted in the breath during lactulose breath test.
High Rates of In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Likely to Correlate with Poor Survival
Recent research from the University of Michigan Health Systems published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that hospitals with the highest rates of cardiac arrests are more likely to have the poorest survival rates for those cases.
FDA Expands Vibativ Approval to Combat Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia
Citing a need for new therapies to remedy serious diseases acquired in hospitals, the US Food and Drug Administration has expanded approval of Vibativ (telavancin) to treat bacterial pneumonia when alternative drugs aren't appropriate.
Promising Heart Failure Drug Receives ‘Breakthrough' FDA Designation
The US Food and Drug Administration has awarded "breakthrough therapy" status to a synthetic copy of a naturally occurring human hormone for the treatment of acute heart failure (AHF), drug developer Novartis announced today.
FDA Limits Usage, Duration of Hyponatremia Drug Due to Observed Liver Damage Risk
Citing an increased risk of liver injury observed in recent clinical trials, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has limited Samsca (tolvaptan) treatment to 30 days and recommended the oral selective vasopressin V2-receptor antagonist be discontinued in patients with signs of liver disease or symptoms of liver injury.
New Diabetes Management Guidelines Consider Concurrent Conditions
In diagnosing a patient with type 2 diabetes, an endocrinologist or primary care physician may struggle with developing healthy treatment targets when comorbid conditions like obesity and hypoglycemia are at play.
Omega-3 Therapy Vascepa Reduces Triglycerides in Severe Hypertriglyceridemia Patients
As an adjunct to diet and exercise, Amarin's lipid-regulating agent Vascepa (icosapent ethyl capsules) is indicated to reduce triglyceride levels in adult patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia, or very high triglyceride (TG) levels greater than or equal to 500 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).
Blood Thinner Brilinta Treats Acute Coronary Syndrome
Approved by the FDA in July 2011, AstraZeneca's Brilinta (ticagrelor tablets) is a twice-daily treatment to reduce the rate of myocardial infarction and cardiovascular death in adult patients with acute coronary syndrome.
New Injectable Gel May Prevent Heart Failure After Myocardial Infarction
Bioengineers at the University of California, San Diego have deemed a new injectable hydrogel safe and effective for repairing tissue damage caused by myocardial infarction, providing a platform to bring the gel to clinical trials within the next year.