Latest American Thoracic Society Stories

Peter Suciu for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online A new study has found that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is over-diagnosed among uninsured patients. Researchers found that over 40 percent of patients being treated for COPD at federally funded clinics did not actually have the disease. COPD is a progressive lung disease that leads to the loss of lung function and is primarily caused by smoking. The disease causes coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest...

Both fine-particle air pollution and noise pollution may increase a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to German researchers who have conducted a large population study, in which both factors were considered simultaneously. "Many studies have looked at air pollution, while others have looked at noise pollution," said study leader Barbara Hoffmann, MD, MPH, a professor of environmental epidemiology at the IUF Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine...

Brett Smith for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online Advocates of homeopathic remedies have been touting the benefits of ginger for years and a new study presented at the American Thoracic Society’s 2013 International Conference in Philadelphia this week suggests that the spicy, pungent root could help asthma sufferers breathe easier. Bronchodilating asthma medications called beta-agonists (β-agonists) work by relaxing the smooth muscle (ASM) tissue in the airway. In the study,...

Optimal treatment of sleep apnea in patients with prediabetes improves blood sugar (glucose) levels and thus can reduce cardiometabolic risk, according to a study to be presented at the ATS 2013 International Conference in Philadelphia. "Sleep apnea, a condition associated with breathing disturbances during sleep is known to be associated with abnormalities in glucose metabolism, but whether treatment of sleep apnea has any beneficial effects on glucose metabolism is still under...

The American Thoracic Society has released new official clinical practice guidelines on the diagnosis and management of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), the acute airway narrowing that occurs as a result of exercise. The guidelines appear in the May 1, 2013 American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. "While a large proportion of asthma patients experience exercise-induced respiratory symptoms, EIB also occurs frequently in subjects without asthma," said Jonathan...

MedPage Today to Reach Nearly 95% of Endocrinologists & Thoracic Specialists NEW YORK, April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- MedPage Today, the leading provider of real-time breaking medical news for healthcare professionals, today announced two new strategic partnerships with leading professional organizations: the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) and the American Thoracic Society (ATS). MedPage Today is the professional brand within the Everyday Health...

The chances of developing lung cancer associated with asbestos exposure, asbestosis and smoking are dramatically increased when these three risk factors are combined, and quitting smoking significantly reduces the risk of developing lung cancer after long-term asbestos exposure, according to a new study. "The interactions between asbestos exposure, asbestosis and smoking, and their influence on lung cancer risk are incompletely understood," said lead author Steven B. Markowitz, MD DrPH,...

Supports Patients and Efforts for Cure for Deadly Lung Disease CULVER CITY, Calif., Dec. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF) announced today its accomplishments for the year, reflecting on the successes in Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) research, advocacy and awareness efforts. "We are pleased to say that 2012 was a good year for the foundation and for our patients as we inch closer to treatments and a cure," said Mishka Michon, Chief Executive...

The American Thoracic Society and the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis connect patients to NIH leaders to explore fibrotic disease across organ systems WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- James Kiley, Ph.D., the Director of the Division of Lung Diseases at the National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and Jerry Eu, M.D., the new program director for NHLBI's pulmonary fibrosis (PF) research, will co-host a webinar geared at...

Actress Rose McGowan Joins Chorus Demanding Change for PF Patients CULVER CITY, Calif., Sept. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Each year around the world, as many as 48,000 people are diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and 40,000 people die - the same number of people who are lost to breast cancer annually. Pulmonary fibrosis is a devastating disease that robs people of their ability to breathe. To help raise awareness about this unknown deadly disease, the Coalition for...