C-section may raise kids’ asthma risk: study
Children born by cesarean delivery are at increased risk for developing asthma, particularly if their parents have allergies, according to a report published this month. C-section has been thought to be a risk factor for asthma, although the relationship is controversial, Dr. H. A. Smit, from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in Bilthoven, the Netherlands, and colleagues... Read more
School Program Helps Cut Asthma Risks
A school-based asthma management program can help children and teens reduce their symptoms and the number of missed school days, a study conducted in a California school district shows. Researchers analyzed the effectiveness of a program called Kickin’ Asthma, a four-session curriculum developed by American Lung Association staff and nurses and peer educators from the Oakland Unified School District.... Read more
FDA Panel Mulls Safety of Asthma Meds
The safety of four asthma medications will be weighed by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration expert panel as two days of hearings end Thursday. The controversy over these drugs has been going on for several years, with two FDA officials recently calling for banning the use of these drugs for anyone under 17. One expert thinks the problem is not with the drugs, but with their misuse. “This is... Read more
FDA advisers weigh risks of asthma drugs
Government health officials Wednesday publicly aired deep differences over the safety of long-acting asthma drugs and called on outside medical and scientific advisers to help settle the issue. Experts from the Food and Drug Administration’s safety office are recommending that medications like Advair and Symbicort no longer be used to treat children with asthma because of the risk of serious... Read more
Women Smokers Lose 14.5 Years Off Life Span
During Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November, female smokers should take advantage of available resources, pick a quit day, and start taking steps toward kicking the habit, urges The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Even though smoking takes an average of 14.5 years off women’s lives, almost one in five American women age 18 and older smokes. “The damaging effects... Read more
Asthma ‘Rescue’ Inhalers Are Changing
Change is coming to the lifesaving asthma medications known as “rescue” inhalers. And, if you’re one of the estimated 40 million people with a respiratory disorder who uses these inhalers, you need to know that after Dec. 31, you won’t be able to buy an inhaler that uses chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellants anymore. Plus, you need to be aware that the new inhalers are different... Read more