Lung and heart conditions linked

PATIENTS with some of the most common lung diseases are substantially more likely to suffer a heart attack and develop other major heart problems, according to new research.

• 21 Apr 2019

— AFPAsthma patients have a 50% increased risk of coronary heart disease.
The team of heart and lung doctors from the University of Manchester and Aston Medical School in the United Kingdom found that people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung fibrosis, were more likely to develop and die from heart disease and heart failure.

The study of nearly 100,000 people with lung disease in the northwest of England, who were followed for up to 14 years, is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The increased risk was in addition to the risk posed by other common conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

However, despite the association, the team found that patients with lung disease were less likely to receive heart bypass surgery or angioplasty.

First author Dr Paul Carter, part of Aston’s ACALM Study Unit said: “The most striking findings were that the risk of coronary heart disease was increased by 50% in patients with asthma, 60% in patients with lung fibrosis, and 70% in patients with COPD.

“Furthermore, having COPD more than doubled the risk of developing heart failure.”

Founder of the ACALM unit Dr Rahul Potluri said: “Despite the increased risk of heart disease, patients with lung diseases were less likely to receive heart treatments.

“Potential reasons include difficulties in diagnosis due to similar symptoms, and heart treatments having higher rates of complications in patients with lung diseases.

“Further work is required to understand this finding in more detail and how it could be addressed.”

Senior author Dr Chris Miller said: “Research into why lung disease is associated with heart disease and the underlying disease mechanisms, is urgently required.

“If we could understand that, then we could potentially develop treatments that target these disease pathways.” – University of Manchester

Regularly using bleach linked to higher risk of fatal lung disease

Use of disinfectants once a week could increase risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by as much as 32%, finds study

 Those who used cleaning products regularly had a higher risk of developing COPD, a study of nurses found. Photograph: Tatomm/Getty Images/iStockphoto

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Nicola Slawson

@nicola_slawson

Monday 11 September 2017 00.17 BSTLast modified on Monday 11 September 2017 01.05 BST

Monday 11 September 2017 00.17 BST

Regular use of bleach and other common disinfectants has been linked to a higher risk of developing fatal lung disease, researchers have found.

The use of disinfectants is linked to a higher risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to research looking at incidence of the disease in more than 55,000 nurses in the US.

The 30-year study by Harvard University and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) found that those who used the products just once a week had as high as a 32% increased chance of developing the condition.

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COPD, which affects an estimated 1.2 million people in the UK, describes a group of lung conditions such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis that make it difficult to move air in and out of the lungs because the airways have been narrowed.

Nearly 25,000 people per year die from the disease in England, which is the third highest death rate in Europe.

Disinfectant use has previously been associated with an increased risk of respiratory problems such as asthma. However, the new study is thought to be the first to identify a link between COPD and specific cleaning chemicals known as quaternary ammonium compounds (quats).

“The potential adverse effects of exposure to disinfectants on COPD have received much less attention, although two recent studies in European populations showed that working as a cleaner was associated with a higher risk of COPD,” said Inserm researcher Orianne Dumas.

“To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report a link between disinfectants and COPD among healthcare workers, and to investigate specific chemicals that may underlie this association.” 

The everyday use of bleach currently has no specific health guidelines, but the researchers hope this will be investigated.

“Some of these disinfectants, such as bleach and quats, are frequently used in ordinary households, and the potential impact of domestic use of disinfectants on COPD development is unknown,” Dumas said. “Earlier studies have found a link between asthma and exposure to cleaning products and disinfectants at home, such as bleach and sprays, so it is important to investigate this further.”

The researchers analysed data from a mass study on female US nurses commenced by Harvard in 1989. In 2009, they looked at those who were still working as nurses who had no history of COPD and tracked them until May this year. During that period, 663 were diagnosed with the condition.

The nurses’ exposure to disinfectants were evaluated via a questionnaire and other factors that could have distorted the results, such as the age, weight and ethnicity of the subjects, were taken into account.

On Monday, Dumas will tell a meeting of the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Milan that certain tasks involving frequent exposure to disinfectants, such as cleaning surfaces, as well as specific chemicals in disinfectants, were associated with a 22-32% increased risk of developing the disease.

Dumas will say: “We found that nurses who use disinfectants to clean surfaces on a regular basis – at least once a week – had a 22% increased risk of developing COPD ... There was a suggestion of a link with the weekly use of disinfectants to clean instruments but this was not statistically significant.

“In our study population, 37% of nurses used disinfectants to clean surfaces on a weekly basis and 19% used disinfectants to clean medical instruments on a weekly basis.”

She says the findings highlight the need for guidelines for cleaning and disinfection in healthcare settings such as hospitals to be updated to take the occupational health risks into account.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/11/regularly-using-bleach-linked-to-higher-risk-of-fatal-lung-disease

Cleaning the house with bleach could lead to fatal lung disease 

•  Henry Bodkin 

10 SEPTEMBER 2017 • 11:01PM

Using bleach and other common disinfectants to clean the house puts people at risk of fatal lung conditions, research has suggested.

A 30-year study of more than 55,000 women found those who used the products just once a week had a 32 per cent increased chance of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The debilitating and often agonising illness, which can include bronchitis and emphysema, was linked to long-term use of quaternary ammonium compounds, known as “quats”, which are found in everyday floor and surface disinfectants.

Products containing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and bleach were also associated with the disease, which is most commonly diagnosed in heavy smokers and those who have suffered long-term exposure to dust and pollution.

Disinfectant use has been associated with an increased risk of asthma previously. However, the new study by Harvard and the French National...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/10/cleaning-house-bleach-could-lead-fatal-lung-disease/

Regular use of disinfectant cleaning products has been linked to an increased risk of developing fatal lung conditions

Using products once a week found to potentially increase a person's chance of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by nearly a third

• ELLIE CULLEN
• 12 hours ago

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The regular use of disinfectant cleaning products such as bleach has been linked to an increased risk of developing fatal lung conditions, researchers said.

A study by Harvard University and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) found that using the products just once a week could increase a person's chance of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by nearly a third.

The research involved data from more than 55,000 nurses in the US, and scientists looked at exposure to specific disinfectants, including bleach, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol and chemicals known as quaternary ammonium compounds (quats), which are often used to disinfect surfaces such as floors and furniture.

All of these were associated with an increased risk of COPD of between 24 per cent to 32 per cent in the study.

COPD is an umbrella term for a series of conditions affecting the lungs including emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic asthma.

The condition affects an estimated 1.2 million people in the UK, with nearly 30,000 people dying from the disease each year.

Previous studies have linked exposure to disinfectants with breathing problems such as asthma, but it is believed this is the first piece of research to identify a link between disinfectants and COPD.

Dr Orianne Dumas, a researcher at Inserm, said: “The potential adverse effects of exposure to disinfectants on COPD have received much less attention, although two recent studies in European populations showed that working as a cleaner was associated with a higher risk of COPD.

“To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report a link between disinfectants and COPD among healthcare workers, and to investigate specific chemicals that may underlie this association.”

Dr Dumas will present the findings at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Milan on Monday, where she will highlight that further research is needed to clarify the impact of disinfectant use in the home.

She added: “In particular, we need to investigate the impact on COPD of lifetime occupational exposure to chemicals and clarify the role of each specific disinfectant.

“Some of these disinfectants, such as bleach and quats, are frequently used in ordinary households, and the potential impact of domestic use of disinfectants on COPD development is unknown.

“Earlier studies have found a link between asthma and exposure to cleaning products and disinfectants at home, such as bleach and sprays, so it is important to investigate this further.”

As part of the research, scientists looked at 55,185 female registered nurses enrolled in the US Nurses' Health Study II, which began in 1989.

They looked at those nurses who were still in a nursing job and with no history of COPD in 2009, and then followed them for approximately eight years until May 2017.

During that time 663 nurses were diagnosed with COPD.

The nurses' exposure to disinfectants was evaluated via a questionnaire and other factors that could have distorted the results, such as the age, weight and ethnicity of the subjects, were taken into account.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/bleach-use-increased-risk-fatal-lung-disease-health-a7939896.html

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Millions of smokers may have undiagnosed lung disease

More than half of current and former smokers who can pass basic lung function tests may suffer from lung diseases that have gone undiagnosed, researchers said yesterday.

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Forty-two per cent had emphysema or airway thickening, while 23 per cent had significant shortness of breath. — AFP pic

ATLANTA, June 23 — More than half of current and former smokers who can pass basic lung function tests may suffer from lung diseases that have gone undiagnosed, researchers said yesterday.

The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine included nearly 9,000 people, aged 45-80, who had smoked at least a pack of cigarettes a day for 10 years.

About half of those in the study “were considered disease-free based on their lung-function tests,” said the JAMA article.

But when researchers looked at other criteria, including respiratory symptoms, CT scans, medications use and quality of life issues, they found that “55 per cent of the ‘disease-free’ study participants had some form of respiratory related impairment.”

Many were in the early stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, which is the third-leading killer in the United States.

Forty-two per cent had emphysema or airway thickening, while 23 per cent had significant shortness of breath.

“Smokers who have ‘normal’ lung-function tests often have significant respiratory disease. Many of those smokers likely have the early stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,” said Elizabeth Regan, lead author and assistant professor of medicine at National Jewish Health.

“We hope these findings will help debunk the myth of the healthy smoker and highlight the importance of smoking prevention and cessation to prevent lung disease and other long-term effects of smoking.”

About 42 million people smoke in the United States, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which lists smoking as the number one cause of preventable diseases and deaths in the nation. — AFP

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/millions-of-smokers-may-suffer-from-undiagnosed-lung-disease

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Fact or Myth: Can Dogs Detect Cancer?

Perhaps you’ve heard the news reports about dogs that have sniffed out their owners’ skin, breast, or lung cancers by persistently pawing or nosing the affected area.

This post is on Healthwise

Danica Collins

This is a FACT.

Perhaps you’ve heard the news reports about dogs that have sniffed out their owners’ skin, breast, or lung cancers by persistently pawing or nosing the affected area. These cases aren’t sensationalized media, as evidenced by numerous studies that show that dogs detect cancer.

A Cheap, Non-Invasive Way to Detect Thyroid Cancer

The latest study involves a German shepherd mix named Frankie, who detected thyroid cancer with 90% accuracy. Researchers from University of Arkansas Medical Sciences trained Frankie to lie down when he sniffed evidence of thyroid cancer in urine samples and to turn away when he did not. They then collected urine samples from 34 patients, and screened them with biopsies and diagnostic surgeries to determine that 15 had thyroid cancer and 19 had benign thyroid disease. The results were hidden from researchers and the dog handler. Frankie correctly diagnosed 30 out of the 34 patients simply by sniffing their urine samples, and had only 2 false negatives and 2 false positives, an accuracy comparable to that of current thyroid cancer screenings.

Doctors use fine-needle aspiration biopsy to diagnose thyroid cancer. It involves inserting a needle through the neck and into the thyroid gland to remove thyroid tissue for screening. It’s invasive and costly, which makes these latest findings even more exciting.

Is Frankie an Anomaly?

Frankie is definitely impressive, but he’s certainly not the only cancer-detecting pooch out there. A 2011 study published in the European Respiratory Journal demonstrated that trained dogs could successfully sniff out lung cancer just by sniffing patients’ breath! Dogs could even detect cancer in smokers or patients afflicted with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease…not even current cancer screening tests can do that! The dogs (two German Shepherds and a lab) correctly identified lung cancer in 71 out of 100 patients and correctly identified 372 out of 400 cancer-free patients—that’s an extremely low 7% of false positives.

Japanese researchers found that dogs could detect colon cancer in human breath and stool samples with nearly 90% accuracy, a slightly lower success rate than colonoscopies.

Sniffing Out Cancer

A dog has more than 500 million scent receptors on its nose (a human has around 5 million). Researchers theorize that dogs are able to sniff out subtle changes in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). For perspective, 4000 VOCs have been identified in human breath. Essentially, dogs can smell trouble, and disease, a mile away.

What’s the next step? Researchers hope to determine the exact way dogs sniff out cancer in order to build non-invasive and cost-effective technology that mimics the process. In the meantime, pay attention to the signs your dog gives you. These canines are more perceptive than humans think!

http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/fact-or-myth-can-dogs-detect-cancer

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Five Natural Ingredients for Preventing Lung Disease

Healthwise

April 11, 2014 

Whether you’re talking about asthma, cancer, COPD, or even rare conditions, lung disease is on the rise.

The experts are calling lung disease a “time bomb waiting to explode.”1

But whether you already have trouble with your lungs, or just want to avoid it, here are five natural ingredients to keep them young and healthy.

1. Milk Thistle: You might already know that it has the power to help your liver regenerate its cells. But milk thistle contains silymarin. It’s a compound that flushes toxins out of your liver. It also helps prevent lung cancer from forming and spreading.

Milk thistle also contains silibinin. Like silymarin, it protects you from lung cancer. But even better. These cancer cells spread quickly to other organs in your body. And they can become drug resistant. Silibinin doesn’t only reverse drug resistance in these cells… It causes natural cell death in cancerous lung tumors.2 You can find milk thistle extract pills in health stores and online. Organic milk thistle tea is another option.

2. Fiber: Oddly enough, fiber is critical to your lung health. It may help relieve symptoms of–and even prevent—asthma.

A high-fiber diet changes the makeup of your gut bacteria. The good bacteria feed on fiber. When you keep these bacteria well-fed, they produce short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids reduce inflammation and irritation in the lungs. But don’t add grains to your diet for more fiber. They actually increase the amount of inflammation in your body—including your lungs. Instead, eat more organic artichokes, peas, raspberries, and blackberries.

3. Ginger: It’s full of antioxidant power. But two of these antioxidants in particular protect your lungs against inflammation and damage. Gingerols help clear your lungs by reducing the amount of mucous they produce.3 And 6-shagaol, the compound that gives ginger its flavor, stops bronchial tubes from tightening.4This keeps airflow open and easy.

Ginger can be pretty intense if you aren’t used to it. Add it to your diet slowly if you don’t eat it on a regular basis. When it comes to ginger, fresh is always better. Cutting up some fresh ginger and adding it to a meal gives you antioxidant power and extra flavor. You can also juice with it or use it to brew your own tea to help soothe your lungs when you have a cough.

4. Broccoli Sprouts: Broccoli sprouts are rich in vitamins A, K, and C. But they also contain sulforaphane. It’s a compound that helps you fight the inflammation that causes asthma. One study found that it helped restore defective white blood cells in the lungs. More white blood cells mean less bacteria and inflammation.5

Broccoli sprouts have about 50 times more sulforaphane than regular broccoli. But you may not be able to find them at your grocery store. If that’s the case, look at your local farmer’s market. Or you could grow them yourself. Try them steamed or throw them raw into a salad. For convenience, you can also find broccoli sprout extract as a supplement online.

5. Bromelain: It’s an enzyme used to reduce inflammation of the sinuses after surgery. But it’s also a natural way to treat pulmonary edema.6 This condition prevents the fluid from draining out of your lungs. The result? Shortness of breath. If left untreated, it can cause deadly infections. One study found that bromelain reduces the amount of inflammatory neutrophils in the lung by up to 85 percent.7

The best way to start getting more bromelain in your diet is by eating fresh pineapple.8 And lots of it. Most of the bromelain in a pineapple is in the stem. Or you can supplement.

Pollution and secondhand smoke aren’t the only things that can irritate your lungs. Inflammation is a major factor in the development of most lung disease. Lowering it will help ensure that your lungs are working at their best. Using these five natural solutions will help keep you free of disease—and breathing a little easier.

References:
1http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/274704.php
2http://breakthroughs.cityofhope.org/small-cell-lung-cancer-milk-thistle
3http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/
4http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23065130
5http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20378-broccoli-helps-clear-damaged-lungs.html#.U0Q16fldXzh
6http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/895.html
7http://www.inflammation-systemicenzymes.com/pulmonary-fibrosis.html?start=1
8Idem

http://institutefornaturalhealing.com/2014/04/five-natural-ingredients-for-preventing-lung-disease/

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The Foods Your Lungs Need To Be Healthy

Healthwise

Your breathing and lung health may depend on eating the right foods.

Dr. Mark Wiley | Jun 04, 2014 

That really shouldn’t be surprising. Food is one of the four essentials of life, along with water, sleep and oxygen. Not only is food necessary to live, but it directly affects your health.

Eating a diet rich in natural whole foods, as close to their original form as possible, is one of the best ways to give your body the best nutrients. And while researchers haven’t drawn a direct correlation between food and lung health, studies show that two foods in particular can help alleviate the negative effects of chronic lung diseases.

Chronic Lung Problems

Persistent, ongoing disorders of the lungs are referred to as chronic lung disease (CLD). These disorders include asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and cystic fibrosis. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are collectively known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is generally caused by secondhand smoke or environmental and industrial pollutants. COPD affects 24 million Americans and more than 210 million people worldwide.

COPD Symptoms

The main difficulties associated with COPD are heavy wheezing and coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightening. Many people with COPD experience a morning cough, and the condition typically worsens during and winter and spring.

But I have witnessed many COPD sufferers cough throughout the day and in all seasons. The cough is accompanied by a fair degree of expectorated mucus or sputum that is often brown in the morning but becomes clear later in the day.

COPD is a serious condition. If you suspect you may have it, consult with your healthcare provider as soon as possible. Many of the signs and symptoms of COPD get more problematic over time and can impair your blood oxygen levels.

Lifestyle Adjustments

As is true for many health conditions, simple modifications in lifestyle can relieve some COPD problems.

Most importantly, if you live or work in a toxic environment, try your best to eliminate your toxic exposure. Pollution from factories, automobiles, gas stations, asbestos and secondhand smoke can produce a continuously negative effect on your health, even when you don’t suffer COPD.

Giving your lungs a break from long-distance walking or running, heavy lifting and stair climbing can also provide some relief. You may have to do less walking. Instead, when you can, ride in an automobile, coast on a bike and use elevators or escalators.

Traditional Chinese herbs that have been researched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and found useful in treating COPD include:

• Tao Ren,
• Sie Cao,
• Wei Ling Sian,
• Gan Cao,
• Jhih Mu, Dang Guei,
• Sheng Di Huang and
• Mu Tong.

These botanicals are included in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbal formulas. They work best in traditional combinations and when they are applied for a TCM-recognized pattern, as discerned by a TCM practitioner.

Four Foods That Help COPD

Research presented at the 2014 annual meeting of the American Thoracic Society and published in the journalRespiratory and Critical Care found four specific foods that had a direct positive effect on relieving symptoms associated with COPD.

Dr. Corrine Hanson, lead author of the study, says: “Diet is a potentially modifiable risk factor in the development and progression of many diseases, and there is evidence that diet plays a role in both the development and clinical factors of COPD.”

Specifically, fresh bananas, grapefruit, fish and small amounts of cheese proved effective against chronic lung disease when compared with COPD sufferers who did not consume these foods.

Study participants reported better lung functioning and fewer symptoms after beginning to consume these four foods. The researchers think that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of bananas, grapefruit, fish and small portions of cheese were the properties that helped the patients.

Interestingly, cheese and all dairy are often contraindicated in lung disease because of their mucus-forming nature. Dairy forms mucus, which can obstruct the lungs further. It also creates an internal environment suitable for bacteria. However, according to the study, eating dairy in small amounts may relieve symptoms.

Environmental Challenges

Overall, like many diseases, COPD and chronic diseases of the lungs are largely associated with your environment. Smoking, pollutants and industrial toxins usually play a major role in causing chronic lung diseases. Don’t forget: Changing your home environment and workplace toxic exposure while adjusting your diet and lifestyle can be a big help. Those shifts may reduce your symptoms, improve your quality of life and keep you safe from these types of diseases.

References

http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2014.189.1_MeetingAbstracts.A5949?prevSearch=Hanson&searchHistoryKey=

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22803654

http://easyhealthoptions.com/foods-lungs-need-healthy/

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