Respiratory

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Although the total cost of asthma was more than $80 billion in 2013, the expansion of Medicaid in 2014 aided patients with asthma, according to 2 studies presented at the 2020 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) virtual conference.

Nearly 5 in 10 individuals in the United States—150 million Americans—live where pollution levels are often too dangerous to breathe, according to the American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air Report, released today. Poor air quality has been linked to higher rates of chronic diseases, comorbidities, and poor health outcomes. Several studies suggest poor air quality is a contributing factor to the prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-10) in some communities.

To help ease ventilator shortages resulting from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, researchers at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering were able to modify continuous positive airway pressure machines, used to treat patients with sleep apnea, into alternatives for mechanical ventilators.

The changes are aimed at helping hospitals increase their capacities for the sickest patients; expand the pool of local healthcare providers who are available to work; eliminating ordinary paperwork and documentation requirements; expanding Medicare coverage for respiratory-related devices and equipment for any medical reason; and expanding telehealth in Medicare by covering more than 80 additional services.

The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC® ) interviewed Martha Gulati, MD, cardiologist at Banner – University Medicine Heart Institute, on findings of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) levels in relation to cardiovascular outcomes and smoking cessation with e-cigarettes. These studies are part of the 2020 American College of Cardiology / World Congress of Cardiology Virtual Experience.