Latest news with #asthma
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
Dyson purifier hot + cool formaldehyde: The £700 air purifier that tackles heatwaves and hay fever
Over the last few years, we've seen a big rise in home improvement and DIY, a penchant for viral candles, and a surging number of flights booked as 2025 is predicted to be biggest ever summer for travel. It's a random mix of topics with one thing in common: air pollution. Leading doctors have warned that 99 per cent of the population are breathing in 'toxic air', and air pollution has been declared a public health crisis here in the UK, possibly leading to 30,000 preventable deaths this year alone. It's not just us adults impacted by bad air quality. Recent NHS England data shows that in some parts of the country, air pollution is linked to 33 per cent of childhood asthma cases. But it's not all doom and gloom, as there are several ways that we can ensure we're breathing clean air. If you want to purify your air at home, providing a better quality of living for you and your family, we may just have found the ticket. Enter the Dyson purifier hot + cool formaldehyde, the brand's bestselling air purifier (plus fan and heater). It's designed to clean the air not only of the usual particles picked up by purifiers with a high efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) filter, but also to grab all formaldehyde-based resins that come from plywood and fibreboard, insulating materials, paint, wallpaper, varnishes, and some household cleaning products. This is no small task: formaldehydes are 500 times smaller than particles of 0.1 microns (10 microns is the limit for the naked eye) and to be efficient specifically at catching this chemical, Dyson created an intelligent formaldehyde sensor that's gel-based and will accurately catch and destroy it at a molecular level without confusing it with other volatile organic compounds. Is hayfever a problem in your house? Dyson's clever purifier also captures and removes the microscopic particles which may cause allergies, acting as a powerful shield against pollen, dust, pet dander and mould. When paired with a great vacuum, you're ready to tackle pollen season head-on. But these are all huge claims, and so we tested this purifier to find out if it could really clean our air. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Medscape
a day ago
- Health
- Medscape
Diabetes Plus Asthma Equals Greater Metabolic Risk
People with both diabetes and asthma appear to face greater metabolic risks than those with either condition alone, according to new observational data. In a study of more than 18,000 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 2001-2020, individuals with both asthma and diabetes (most presumed to have type 2 diabetes) had significantly greater impairments in glucose regulation, insulin sensitivity, and lipid metabolism compared with those who had only one condition alone or neither. Inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP) and high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) were also elevated in the comorbid group, 'supporting a hypothesis of a shared inflammatory mechanism,' Sixtus Aguree, PhD, assistant professor at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, and colleagues wrote in a poster presented at NUTRITION 2025, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition. The findings 'emphasize the need for integrated clinical strategies that simultaneously target both inflammation and metabolic dysfunction in patients with asthma-diabetes comorbidity,' the authors wrote. 'Routine screening for insulin resistance and inflammatory markers in [these] patients may aid in early intervention and risk reduction.' This points to the need for integrated clinical care, Aguree told Medscape Medical News . 'For managing these comorbid conditions, healthcare professionals need to work together. I think that's a better way to treat the person than working in silos.' Bidirectional Relationship Commenting on the findings, Tianshi David Wu, MD, assistant professor of pulmonary and critical care at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told Medscape Medical News that these findings align with current evidence. 'Diabetes and asthma have a bidirectional relationship,' Wu explained. 'Population studies have shown that patients with diabetes are at higher risk of developing asthma later on, and vice versa. What's still unknown are the mechanisms that explain this finding.' Wu added that the researchers had put forth a reasonable hypothesis — that systemic inflammation may play a key role in this association. 'The best way to prove this would be with a trial that specifically targets the type of inflammation you think is driving both asthma and diabetes to see how it affects these conditions.' As a possible blueprint, he pointed to cardiology, where patients with heart failure and diabetes are preferentially treated with sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, which are effective at treating both conditions. 'In the asthma world, I don't think the evidence is there yet to recommend any specific diabetes medication, but there is plenty of real-world data suggesting some benefit, and there are two clinical trials ongoing testing semaglutide and metformin to see if they can improve asthma,' Wu said. Surprising Impact on Insulin Resistance The study included 18,370 nationally representative US adults. Among them, 8.2% had diabetes without asthma, 7.4% had asthma without diabetes, 83.3% had neither (controls), and 1.2% had both. BMI was highest in the combined asthma-diabetes group (35.9 kg/m2 vs. 28.2 kg/m2 in controls, P < .001), as was waist circumference (117.6 cm vs. 97.3 cm, P < .001). Insulin resistance, defined as a homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) > 2.5, was present in 41% of controls, 46.8% with asthma only, 77.3% with diabetes only, and 85.6% with both conditions. The HOMA-IR score in the asthma-diabetes group was significantly higher than in controls (9.85 vs. 2.96, P < .001). Logistic regression analysis confirmed that the odds of insulin resistance were nearly eight times higher in the asthma-diabetes group than in the control group (odds ratio [OR], 7.89, P < .001), even after adjusting for BMI, sex, and medication use. 'We didn't expect insulin resistance to be that much higher in the combination of asthma and diabetes. That shocked us,' Aguree said. Asthma alone was not significantly associated with insulin resistance (OR, 0.76, P = .220), 'underscoring the additive impact of coexisting diabetes,' the authors wrote in their poster. Additional Metabolic Outcomes Absolute values of LDL cholesterol were 115.9 mg/dL and 114.5 mg/dL, respectively, for controls and asthma only, vs 98.9 mg/dL and 104.8 mg/dL for diabetes only and asthma-diabetes groups, respectively. The lower value in those with diabetes is likely due to greater use of statins, Aguree noted. In contrast, compared with controls, those in the asthma-diabetes group had significantly lower levels of HDL cholesterol, while triglycerides and the triglyceride/HDL ratio were higher ( P < .001 for all). Systolic blood pressure was also significantly higher in the comorbid group ( P < .001), as was diastolic blood pressure, although to a lesser extent ( P = .012). A1c levels were 5.41% in controls and 5.46% in the asthma-only group, both significantly lower than levels in the diabetes group (7.34%) and the comorbid group (7.11%), Aguree said. Log-CRP values were 0.530 units higher in the asthma-diabetes group than in controls ( P < .001), as were hs-CRP (1.70 mg/L vs 0.60 mg/L, P < .001). Aguree and colleagues are now expanding their analysis to include longitudinal data and evaluate integrated interventions, such as combined anti-inflammatory and glucose-lowering medications, as a means of reducing the burden of both conditions. Aguree had no disclosures. Wu declared receiving funding from the National Institutes of Health and the American Lung Association.
Medscape
2 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Tackling ‘Treatable Traits' in Obstructive Lung Disease
If only managing a patient with an obstructive lung disease — like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — were as easy as writing a prescription. As it stands now, physicians also have to worry about whether their patients are using their inhalers correctly, or even taking their medications at all, as well as numerous other factors that can complicate their prognosis. 'Every patient is different,' said Amy Attaway, MD, a pulmonologist with Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland. 'Every patient has these barriers that are impacting their COPD or asthma that is making it difficult to treat them optimally.' What Are Treatable Traits? Amy Attaway, MD A recent study published in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease described how many primary care patients exhibit various combinations of treatable traits, thus requiring personalized attention to help get their symptoms under control. Attaway said she likes the treatable trait concept, which includes assessing each patient and developing personalized approaches for their specific issues. 'If you don't define a problem, it's really hard to treat it,' she said. 'This highlights that every patient is different, and you have to personalize their therapy.' The study authors specifically looked at the following traits in people with asthma, COPD, or a combination of both: Insufficient inhaler technique Poor adherence to lung medication Type 2 eosinophilic inflammation Current smoking Obesity Physical activity Reversible airflow limitation Anxiety and/or depression All these treatable traits can pose challenges by themselves — potential combinations only drive up the complexity. Primary care physicians are already addressing many of the treatable traits, such as obesity and physical activity, as well as anxiety and depression. But there are still ongoing challenges. That's particularly true for most patients with COPD because the condition often exists in tandem with other comorbidities that must be managed, according to Wilson Pace, MD, a family medicine physician and professor emeritus in family medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado. Then, there's the time element — or the lack of time — as the case may be. 'That's the great burden of a primary care physician,' said Stephanie LaBedz, MD, a pulmonologist with UI Health in Chicago. Stephanie LaBedz, MD Having a checklist of treatable traits can help physicians keep track of all the factors that may be influencing their patients, said Attaway. But clinicians may not have the time in a single visit to address all of them. Even a short inhaler technique training session or refresher can take some time. 'If you see multiple patients a day, that 5 minutes really adds up,' said Edward Len, MD, a pulmonologist with the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group in Largo, Maryland. Social determinants of health that affect medication adherence may also need addressing, said Len. For example, physicians may need to determine if their patients have transportation to and from a pharmacy to pick up medications, as well as money for the copays. Medication Use Challenges Some treatable traits may be harder than others to manage from a primary care setting. Each type of inhaler requires a specific inhalation technique , and some patients must use multiple different types of inhaled medications to manage their obstructive lung disease — which requires them to master different techniques. Edward Len, MD Additionally, age and cognitive function can also affect a patient's ability to use their inhaled medications correctly, according to research. 'They don't recognize that they don't have optimal inhaler technique,' LaBedz said. 'They think they're doing it correctly.' Perhaps not surprisingly, perfect inhalation technique by patients is rare, which means that patients may not be receiving as much benefit from their inhaled medication as they should. And that's assuming that they're diligent about trying to use their medications. Theaforementioned study cited people forgetting to use their medication as one of its treatable traits. According to LaBedz, medication adherence among patients with COPD is below 50%. In fact, some research estimates that adherence among patients with obstructive lung disease is between 10% and 40%, even though they're more likely to experience exacerbations that lead to hospitalization when they're not properly taking their meds. 'If they're not using the inhaler, it's not going to work,' said Len. LaBedz said she would not expect a primary care provider to handle insufficient inhaler technique — at least not all by themselves. As a pulmonary specialist, she can offer an in-depth assessment of inhaler technique education and training. However, while primary care physicians may not always have time, primary care practices can designate and train a nurse to educate patients on proper inhalation technique, Pace suggested. 'Well-running primary care practices try to make sure that everyone is working at the peak of their license,' he said. Having in-house staff to work with patients on inhaler technique could also reduce the burden on the patient since they wouldn't have to make an additional visit elsewhere to receive training, Pace said. It may also reduce the likelihood that a patient would be a no-show at their follow-up visit, which research suggests is a common phenomenon among patients who receive a referral from a primary care physician to see a specialist. Getting Patients on Board One challenge not included in the above study's treatable traits list: Patient motivation. Sometimes, physicians may find themselves having to persuade patients to make changes in their behavior, and that can be its own challenge. 'If they don't care enough about it, getting them to change behavior is tough,' said Pace. Even similar motivations can require different approaches. What works for one patient may not be as effective for another. 'You always have to come to the middle with patients,' said Geoffrey Chupp, MD, a professor of medicine in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. 'Everybody has their own journey. Some people are more adept at these things than others. You have to find what works for any core individual. You have to reinforce it and give them positive feedback.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Southampton lung expert warns indoor air pollution is being overlooked
A leading respiratory expert has warned the dangers of indoor air pollution are being respiratory physician Dr Thom Daniels, from University Hospital Southampton (UHS), says the "invisible threat" may pose an even bigger risk to health than outdoor can trigger short-term respiratory symptoms and make existing conditions such as asthma warning comes as the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) publishes a new report linking air pollution to 30,000 deaths a year in the UK. "We know so much more about outdoor air pollution because it's so much easier to study," says Dr Daniels. "One monitor allows you to know about the air quality for thousands of people. But every single house is different and we spend 90% of our time indoors and until we understand better about indoor air quality, we'll be missing the majority of our air exposure." Particulates and harmful gases come from daily activities within the home such as cooking or using wood burning and other household cleaning products can also add to the problem. People with chronic lung conditions are advised to limit their use where possible."Burning your cooking on your hob really produces a lot of the very small material, particulate matter," continues Dr Daniels."Dust is unavoidable, there's always going to be dust. Cleaning products produce chemicals in the air."And another area that is really important is wood burning stoves. Everyone loves a wood burning stove - it's so lovely - but it really does produce a lot of indoor air pollution as well as outdoor." To understand how indoor air quality can be affected by everyday household tasks, I've borrowed an air monitor from Dr app tells me the air outside is good quality scoring 97 out of a possible 100. The higher the number the less measurable pollution is start with my indoor reading is about the same but it does not take long for things to go a piece of salmon, I light a fragranced candle to disguise the smell. A bit of vacuuming and spraying down the kitchen counter are also on the chores but surely the air quality starts to fall. Without burning the food it is down to 49 out of 100 - telling me the air quality is house just smells of cooking. I've never before thought of it as poor air quality. How low can you go? Curious to see what the monitor would show I decide to put two slices of bread into the toaster and crank it long whisps of smoke begin to fill the kitchen and the air quality is not long before the smoke alarm sounds and the smell of burned toast fills the entire indoor air monitor now reads zero, warning of severe pollution and telling me patients and members of sensitive groups may have to take emergency action. While poor air quality in the home is linked to household activities, which are usually short term, there is concern spikes in indoor air pollution could still be harmful."We do know that these spikes can induce changes in our bodies - so inflammation in the airways, in the cells of our airways and damage to the integrity of those airways to prevent other things getting in," warns Dr there is action you can take to reduce the levels of indoor pollution in your recommend always using an extractor fan when cooking and using the rear of the hob so that fumes go up the wall into the fan rather than towards the only dry, untreated wood at a high temperature will also help reduce emissions from wood the meantime, Dr Daniels is calling for more research into indoor air pollution to understand the problem we are all living with. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Medscape
3 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Top Things Your Patients Need to Know About Asthma
The roughly 28 million Americans living with asthma are familiar with the challenges of inflammation and narrowing of the airways that affects how the lungs are supplied with air. That's not including the typical symptoms, such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. And, while medication and lifestyle modifications usually work to help manage these symptoms, full-blown attacks can occur due to airway tightness, and these attacks can be life-threatening. ' Asthma is most often a chronic condition and needs to be thought of that way,' said Morris Nejat, MD, who specializes in adult and pediatric allergy and immunology and is owner and chief medical officer of NY Allergy and Sinus Centers in New York City. Doctors, he said, should do detailed review of a patient's health history and perform breathing and lung function testing to measure how severe the condition is. As a physician, you should encourage patients not to ignore asthma symptoms — no matter what they are. 'Keep an eye on your cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest pain,' is what Diane Cymerman, MD, who specializes in allergy, asthma, and immunology at Stony Brook Medicine in Stony Brook, New York, says patients should be told. 'It's also important that you aren't relying solely on albuterol-type inhalers. If you need an albuterol-type inhaler more than 2 times per week, it's time to see a physician to begin asthma controller medications.' Here are five important things patients should know about asthma: 1. Watch for Early Symptoms If a patient has never been officially diagnosed with asthma, one sign that they might be developing the condition is long-term or persistent dry coughing, particularly at night or upon waking up. Routinely experiencing shortness of breath or chest tightness may also be an early sign of asthma. 'Cough is the most common symptom of asthma and usually starts long before asthma advances to wheezing,' said Angela Duff Hogan, MD, chair of the asthma committee of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. 'Recognizing this early symptom can help stop a full-blown asthma attack.' 2. Learn the Triggers While asthma triggers can sometimes depend on one's age, the long list of factors that can prompt asthma include bacterial sinus and respiratory infections — especially common viral infections. High on the list as well: Pollution, smog, strong odors or fumes, and lung irritants, including cigarette smoke or even sitting near a campfire. 'Exercise and taking aspirin or NSAIDs can also play a role in worsening asthma symptoms,' Hogan said. 'Emotional triggers, including stress, can also prompt asthma.' Other triggers that can exacerbate asthma symptoms include al lergens such as dust mites, roaches, pet dander, pollen, and mold spores. Allergy testing can identify what exactly a patient is allergic to, although that may require a referral to a specialist. Also, Nejat said, suggesting patients keep a diary of symptoms can be extremely helpful, especially when preparing for an appointment with an asthma specialist. 3. Fluctuating Weather It's normal to feel a worsening of asthma symptoms during extreme weather changes. In addition, damp weather spreads pollen and mold, which is yet another asthma trigger. Climate change, including longer pollen seasons and wildfires, have also contributed to breathing issues for those with the condition. ' The weather can certainly affect asthma,' Hogan said. 'Very cold air can cause the muscles that line your lung airways to tighten, and extremely hot temperatures can cause dehydration, which worsens asthma by thickening mucus, making it harder to breathe.' 4. Age of Diagnosis While one can develop asthma at any age, a family history of asthma and the presence of other allergy conditions could play a pivotal role. In addition, adult-onset asthma (meaning a diagnosis in anyone older than 20 years) is currently being studied due to the increase in adults developing asthma. The reasons for the connection aren't exactly clear but may relate to having a history of allergies (around 30% of adult asthma is triggered by allergies), acid reflux, or being exposed to certain irritants or air pollution. 5. Always Be Prepared Treatments for asthma can vary. For patients with well-controlled asthma, treatments can include maintenance inhaler therapy (or a rescue inhaler) for symptoms like coughing or wheezing. Inhaled corticosteroids may also be beneficial. Patients should always have their medicines handy — and never use expired medication. It's also critical that patients both know how to correctly use an inhaler and have an asthma action plan. A patient should never wait until their wheezing to get some relief. 'Let your inhaler be your bestie,' Hogan tells patients. 'Make sure you have it available and use it when you should.' If, however, a patient feels like their usual medications aren't effective, they shouldn't hesitate to seek out another option. 'You'll want to make sure your asthma specialist assesses the cause and offers you the best management of your symptoms,' Cymerman said. One final note for patients: 'Just because you feel 'well' doesn't mean that your asthma is gone or that you should stop your controller medicine,' Hogan said.
