Pulmonary Hypertension

An asthma attack can cause wheezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, and tightness in the chest. People may be able to treat mild asthma attacks with asthma medication, such as an inhaler. However, anyone experiencing severe symptoms of an asthma attack will need medical help straight away. An asthma attack happens when muscles around the airways contract, which narrows the airways. This causes symptoms such as shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, wheezing, and general difficulty breathing. Certain triggers, such as allergens, irritants in the air, or smoke, may cause an asthma attack. People may also refer to an asthma attack as an asthma exacerbation or asthma episode. In this article, we explain how to recognize the signs of an asthma attack, what to do during an asthma attack, and when to seek medical help. The symptoms of an asthma attack can vary, depending on the severity of the attack. A mild asthma attack may last a few minutes, while a severe asthma attack may last fo...

Heart failure is what happens when your heart is not pumping enough blood throughout the body. It does not mean the heart has stopped working. Instead, it means your heart is not strong enough to pump blood properly or is not able to fill up with a sufficient amount of blood. This article discusses the different types of heart failure. sturti / Getty Images Heart Failure Overview There are about 6.2 million adults in the United States with heart failure. Heart failure can be acute, which means it happens quickly. Or it can develop over time as your heart becomes weaker. This is considered chronic heart failure. Heart failure often occurs because of another medical condition that causes heart damage, including: Heart failure can affect other parts of the body, including the kidneys and liver. This is why it is so important to see a doctor for heart failure and manage it properly. With the right treatments, many people with heart failure can l...

A mother and her young son were kicked off an American Airlines flight earlier this week after the 2-year-old, who has asthma, was reportedly unable to comply with the airline's mask mandate. According to a now-expired Instagram story, that was also reposted by a friend on Twitter, Amanda Pendarvis said her son was hyperventilating and despite showing a flight attendant her son's negative COVID test, the flight was turned around and the pair along with Pendarvis' mother were escorted off, according to National File. Based on Pendarvis' account, and images from the incident posted to social media, the party was met with what appears to be police. Robert Alexander/Getty Images "On Sept. 13, American Airlines flight 1284 returned to the gate prior to departure from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to deplane a party refusing to comply with crew member instructions to remain seated while on an active taxiway and to wear face coverings securely over their nose and mouth,...

It's a new age for heart failure (HF) management, with growing appreciation for its "four pillars" of drug therapy, but also, it appears, the waning status of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) as the foremost guide to which patients should be treated with them. The metric, usually obtained by echocardiography, is viewed by some as a relic of an earlier age when it was important for tagging patients most likely to respond to a growing arsenal of drugs that target neurohormonal activation: those with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), usually defined as an LVEF of 40% or less. But the field's shifting dynamic between LVEF cut points, disease phenotypes, and drug efficacy is blurring the boundary between HFrEF and HF with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF). At the same time, some drug classes approved for HFrEF have earned new respect and, in some cases, regulatory approval for use in patients with LVEF above 40%, including...

Share on Pinterest Can lifestyle changes help with resistant hypertension? stockstudioX/Getty Images Researchers recently investigated whether lifestyle changes could reduce blood pressure among people with resistant hypertension. Resistant hypertension refers to high blood pressure that does not respond well to medical treatments. Their results suggest that supervised lifestyle changes, including dietary changes, group counseling, and a cardiac rehabilitation exercise program, provide similar results as medications in reducing blood pressure. The researchers hope that their results will encourage policymakers to consider cardiac rehabilitation as a new treatment for resistant hypertension. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.28 billion adults worldwide aged 30–79 have high blood pressure, or hypertension. Over time, high blood pressure can damage blood vessels and organs. It can lead to potentially life-threatening events, such as stroke, heart attack, and organ dama...

September 24, 2021 2 min read Source/Disclosures Disclosures: Vizza reports receiving speaker, consultant and advisory board member fees from Acceleron, Actelion, Bayer, Dompe, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Merck, Pfizer and United Therapeutics. Please see the study for all other authors' relevant financial disclosures. ADD TOPIC TO EMAIL ALERTS Receive an email when new articles are posted on Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . " data-action="subscribe"> Subscribe ...

Dairy products are foods produced from animal milk, most commonly from cows, while dairy alternatives are made from plant-based milk. Dairy products are a good source of nutrition. However, cow's milk is the most common food allergen in infants and young children, and the allergy may persist into adulthood. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), roughly 2–3% of children under 3 years have a milk allergy. While many children are likely to outgrow the allergy in their youth, some evidence suggests that it may persist beyond 16 years in about 20% of people. A dairy or milk allergy occurs when a person's body experiences an immune reaction to the proteins present in milk. Their immune system recognizes the proteins as foreign, similar to a pathogen such as bacteria, triggering an immune response with symptoms ranging from mild to very severe. While cow's milk is the most common dairy allergen, people can also have an allergic response...

Share on Pinterest A recent study investigates a new approach to hypertension treatment. Jimena Roquero/Stocksy United High blood pressure remains a common condition that increases the risk of developing serious health problems. People with hypertension often use a single treatment, or monotherapy, to lower their blood pressure. A new study suggests that using a combination of medications right away may be a more effective treatment for high blood pressure than initially using a single medication. Hypertension is highly prevalent. In the United States, an estimated 45% of adults have high blood pressure. Due to the health risks associated with the condition, scientists are constantly researching and developing new treatment options to lower blood pressure effectively. A new study, which appears in The Lancet , tests a novel medication regimen. Specifically, the researchers tested a single pill that contains ultra-low doses of four different blood pressure-lowering medications. The aut...

Share on Pinterest Can lifestyle changes help with resistant hypertension? stockstudioX/Getty Images Researchers recently investigated whether lifestyle changes could reduce blood pressure among people with resistant hypertension. Resistant hypertension refers to high blood pressure that does not respond well to medical treatments. Their results suggest that supervised lifestyle changes, including dietary changes, group counseling, and a cardiac rehabilitation exercise program, provide similar results as medications in reducing blood pressure. The researchers hope that their results will encourage policymakers to consider cardiac rehabilitation as a new treatment for resistant hypertension. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.28 billion adults worldwide aged 30–79 have high blood pressure, or hypertension. Over time, high blood pressure can damage blood vessels and organs. It can lead to potentially life-threatening events, such as stroke, heart attack, and organ dama...