COPD – getting the best out of treatments
Article first published by the Hippocratic Post.
We are still some way off finding a cure for COPD, the umbrella term for several different lung conditions including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. These conditions feature different underlying mechanisms but have similar health effects.
In terms of curing the disease, one possibility is repairing damaged lung tissue or replacing it with working tissue. Exciting work is being undertaken by scientists looking into stem cell therapy, where stem cells could be used to replace damaged parts of the lung, but their work is still at an early stage and there are lots of hurdles to overcome. Some people may be offered a lung transplant, but this is not an option for everyone and the procedure is risky and may cause an issue with tissue rejection and infections.
In the meantime, we need to put the emphasis on prevention. The majority of COPD is smoking-related, so quitting or avoiding starting is clearly one of the most important steps to prevent COPD developing, and can make a huge difference to outcomes after diagnosis. Smoking cessation programmes can help people who are keen to quit. Having the flu vaccine every year is recommended for people with COPD since flu can cause life-threatening complications.
There are already some very effective treatments which can dramatically improve symptoms for patients who can access them. In particular, pulmonary rehabilitation, which is a 6-8 week programme of supervised exercise which help improve lung function and stamina.
Studies consistently show that pulmonary rehabilitation can dramatically improve quality of life, although it will not halt the disease process completely. But many COPD patients do not have access to pulmonary rehabilitation, and a large number of those who start the programme fail to reach the end. We would like to see better provision of pulmonary rehabilitation around the country so that everyone who can benefit from it can access it. And we need to look at ways to make it easier for people to initiate pulmonary rehabilitation and persist with it.
One way to do this would be to look at ways that people could do the exercises at home, using day-to-day objects for weights instead of specific gym equipment. Getting to and from a fitness or pulmonary rehabilitation centre can be difficult to people with COPD so it is important to make sure that people can do it at home. Specialist technology could help people see how they are progressing, since exercises themselves do not always show an immediate benefit and may even cause discomfort at the beginning of the process. This technology could also be accessed by healthcare professionals who can monitor patients from afar.
Of course we want a cure for this disease, but we are also need to make sure that we get the full benefit of using the treatments we already have.
On World COPD Day, the British Lung Foundation is encouraging everyone to take their lung health seriously, to take its simple on-line breath test www.blf.org.uk/breathtest and to visit their GP, if advised.”
Original article
Submitted by GAtherton on Thu, 2016-11-17 15:32
EU debate on biosimilar drugs
Biosimilar medicines have been the hot subject of debate for a number of years. But as health systems around the world face continued budget squeezes and seek to increase the number of patients treated with biosimilars, the use of these less expensive options becomes ever more pertinent.
Number of People in UK With Fungal Disease Rises
A new report estimates the numbers of people with fungal disease, some for the first time.
Assistance for Patients Who Cannot Afford Antifungal Drugs (US only)
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Copayment Assistance Now Available to At-Risk and Infected Patients
GERMANTOWN, Md. — October 12, 2016 — The HealthWell Foundation®, an independent non-profit that provides a financial lifeline for inadequately insured Americans, today announced that it opened a new fund to provide assistance to patients who are at-risk of, or infected with, potentially life-threatening fungal infections, specifically Aspergillosis and Candidiasis. Through the fund, HealthWell will provide up to $3,000 in copayment assistance to eligible patients who are insured and have annual household incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anyone can get a fungal infection. Fungi are common in the environment, but they are more likely to cause infections in individuals with weak immune systems, such as anyone who has cancer, has had a stem cell or organ transplant, is taking a medication that weakens the immune system, or is hospitalized for an illness that weakened the immune system. Invasive fungal infections can affect the blood, heart, brain, eyes, bones, and other parts of the body.
Aspergillosis funding: https://www.healthwellfoundation.org/fund/fungal-infections-aspergillosis-and-candidiasis/
“Candida and aspergillus infections can spread from the gut or lungs through the bloodstream with serious ramifications,” said Dr. David Denning, President, Global Action Fund for Fungal Infections (GAFFI) and Former Director of the UK’s National Aspergillosis Centre, University Hospital of South Manchester. “In the more serious hospital cases, only half the patients survive, even with therapy, and all die without antifungal treatment. Long-term antifungal therapy is costly and required for many chronic conditions. Contributions to effective and affordable treatment and prevention will often be lifesaving.”
“Thanks to the continued generosity of our donors, we are now able to offer financial relief to patients living with invasive fungal infections as well as patients who may be at-risk of infection due to compromised immune systems,” said Krista Zodet, HealthWell Foundation President.“These patients, whether they are battling an active infection or require preventative medication, desperately need treatment. Our fund offers instant grant approvals and instant pharmacy card activation to provide these patients with immediate access to care and to potentially lifesaving medications.”
Submitted by GAtherton on Thu, 2016-10-13 15:25
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SIXTY-NINE PER CENT OF PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA TELL ASTHMA UK THAT STRESS IS AN ASTHMA TRIGGER FOR THEM.
People with chronic illness are subjected to particular health problems and have particular needs with regard to support on stress and anxiety. People who have respiratory infections such as aspergillosis are one group who have chronic health condition, many including asthma. This very useful article was written and promoted by Asthma UK on World Mental Health Day 2016.
Article written and published by Asthma UK: full article
Most of us will feel stress at some point in our lives because there are so many situations and experiences that can put extra mental or emotional pressure on us. Feeling lonely, anxious or worrying a lot can lead to stress, as can poor sleep, diet, or problems with money.
If you have asthma, and you're going through a stressful time, keep an eye on your asthma symptoms - 69 per cent of people with asthma tell us stress is an asthma trigger for them.
Why is stress an asthma trigger?
Stress causes a surge of stress hormones in our bodies. These are released to prepare us to either run away from danger or fight it (the "fight or flight" response). We react with symptoms such as a faster heart rate, tense muscles and breathing that is shallow and fast (hyperventilating). This change to our breathing pattern can put us at a higher risk of all our usual asthma symptoms, such as tight chest and coughing.
Another reason why stress can trigger someone's asthma is because of the things people do when they're stressed. You may notice that you lose your temper more easily when you're under stress, and anger is itself an emotional asthma trigger. Stress can mean we drink or smoke more, both asthma triggers in their own right. People with asthma who are stressed may also feel less able or willing to take their asthma medicines as prescribed, especially if long term stress means they're also dealing with anxiety and depression.
How do I know if stress is triggering my asthma symptoms?
It's usually not that difficult to recognise the things that are making us stressed. But sometimes we don't make the connection between stressful events and our asthma symptoms.
- If you think you might be under more stress than usual, ask yourself if your asthma's feeling worse than usual.
- If you've noticed your asthma is feeling worse than usual, consider what's going on in your life at the moment. Could a stressful situation have triggered your asthma symptoms?
- Try keeping a record of stressful situations alongside a symptom diary - this might show a pattern and help you recognise stressful situations or events that trigger your asthma symptoms.
A written asthma action plan helps you keep an eye on worsening symptoms and know what to do if you notice any.
The full article goes into more detail and contains terrific information for asthmatics on the following:
- When is stress most likely to trigger asthma?
- How can I cut the risk of stress affecting my asthma?
- Top stress tips
We can't always avoid stress in our lives but there are things we can do to help manage it. Whatever's going on for you, being aware of how stress is affecting you and your body is the first step to managing it. There's lots of advice on stress in books and online and plenty of methods you can try that may help you feel better and help you learn coping skills.
- Finding ways to reduce stress in your life is good for you and your asthma.
- Can I talk to someone about how stress affects my asthma?
Go to full article.
Submitted by GAtherton on Mon, 2016-10-10 11:04
Treat the Causes of Chronic Disease, Not the Symptoms
Rajan Chatterjee, a young GP advocating that we need to holistically assess the long term causes of chronic diseases such as diabetes, dementia and depression in order to successfully rid ourselves of those illnesses often without the need for medication. As a GP he has realised that there are a collection of contributory causes of many chronic diseases (diet, stress, sleep, physical activity, environment, infections, gut health) that we can each address and once we have ruled out or changed our personal practices or circumstances many chronic diseases can resolve. There can be no further need for some medical interventions that are commonplace at the moment.
We are not all the same, we all have different genetics but we also have differing lifestyles and environments. Rajan argues that doctors need to learn to treat symptoms less and think about long terms causes more. Similarly the patient needs to realise that the dozen harmful things that they do every day harm their health, and it is much better to tackle those things personally than go to a doctor for a medication to 'cover up' the resultant symptoms.
Is this the future of medicine?