The European Medicines Agency is taking a hard look at whether patients taking inhaled corticosteroids for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are at higher risk for pneumonia. [Read more…]
New Drug (Daliresp) to Treat COPD Approved
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved roflumilast (Daliresp), a pill taken daily to decrease the frequency of flare-ups or worsening of symptoms from severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
COPD is a serious lung disease that makes breathing difficult. Symptoms can include breathlessness, chronic cough and excessive phlegm. An exacerbation can last up to several weeks and result in lung function decline, increased risk of death, and may be associated with severe anxiety.
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of COPD, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. [Read more…]
Public Awareness of COPD on the Rise
The number of Americans who report being aware of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, increased by 4 percentage points between 2008 and 2010, but many people at risk are still unaware of the disease, according to mailed survey results released today by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Sixty-nine percent of adults said they are aware of COPD. However, up to 30 percent of Americans reported that they were unaware of the condition. Awareness increased steadily among current and former smokers as well as nonsmokers. [Read more…]