COPD

A study of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treated at a Veterans Administration hospital in New York found an unexpected relationship: the veterans who were undertreated according to treatment guidelines had lower rates of COPD exacerbation events.

Since patients with COPD often have other comorbidities, researchers sought to understand patient adherence to maintenance COPD medications and adherence to treat other chronic conditions.

As the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increases, self-management will become increasingly important. However, a new study has highlighted the difficulties of embedding self-management into routine care.

Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a leading cause of death around the world, the reason for why patients with COPD lose the ability to repair damage to their lungs is poorly defined. However, researchers at the Helmholtz Zentrium München may now have an idea of why this happens.

A study on gender and racial inequalities in the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among non-smokers found that black Americans and women are at higher risk, possibly due to a combination of biological and social factors.

Innovative funding models like value-based payments can change providers’ incentives and drive them to seek solutions like palliative care, said Allison Silvers, vice president of payment and policy at the Center to Advance Palliative Care.

According to CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the cigarette smoking rate of adults in the United States has seen a significant drop during the decade from 2005 to 2015.

The hotspotting technique that Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers uses to care for complex patients shifts away from breaking people into segments based on disease, and looks at the whole make up of a person, considering every disease or social complexity that may be in effect, explained Renee Murray, associate clinical director of Care Management Initiatives at Camden Coalition.

Barring major advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hospitalizations for the disease will increase by more than 150% over the next 15 years in developed countries

Once smokers develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, quitting may not improve smokers’ lung function; thus, smokers should quit as early as possible to have the greatest chance of reversing lung damage.

Using longitudinal Medicare claims data, this study quantified the association of the Medicare Part D coverage gap with medication adherence among beneficiaries with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Steven D. Pearson, MD, president of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, discussed the specialty conditions that are having the biggest impact on overall healthcare expenditures and pharmaceutical spending.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who engage in greater amounts of physical activity in the 12 months prior to hospitalization for COPD have a lower risk of death in the year following discharge.

Data showed that patients coming to the world-famous hospital for a heart attack grew younger, sicker, and more obese from 1995 to 2014. Because the researchers have not yet reported socioeconomic status, it is hard to know whether the findings reflect broader trends.

What we're reading, March 23, 2016: moderate alcohol consumption may not have any health benefits; Johnson & Johnson researching the development of 2 diseases; and 2 more California hospitals received ransom demands from hackers.

Patients can be shielded from the most onerous cost-sharing burdens for specialty drugs while keeping premiums affordable for the entire enrolled population.

Factors determining access to care are closely associated with hospital and emergency department visits among adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Study finds no statistically significant duration in the use of mechanical ventilation for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who took acetazolamide, but there was a clinically significant difference.

In a nationwide cross-sectional comparison of organizational structure for chronic disease management, less attention was given to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than chronic heart failure.

The presence of interstitial lung abnormalities is linked to an increased risk of death, according to a new research published in JAMA.

While patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have a higher risk of stroke than the general population, patients who have frequent exacerbations of their illness actually have a reduced risk of stroke than those with infrequent exacerbations.

Study finds new opioid use high among adults with COPD, raising safety concerns in this vulnerable population.

Proactive identification of cognitive impairment and compensatory destigmatized patient/familial psychoeducation regarding “forgetfulness” in hospitalized patients with congestive heart failure may reduce readmission rates substantially.

Patient-reported symptoms in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may contribute information that can be used to infer future exacerbations and related costs.

An individualized comprehensive care package for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients reduces 90-day mortality.