New therapies now exist that can lower bad cholesterol levels to those of a ‘new born baby’, but up until now there has been conflicting evidence that is actually required or even desirable. New research at Imperial College London established for the first time that such low levels may, in fact, be a good thing, and […]
Singing carols at Christmas is a pleasure enjoyed by many, but singing of all kinds can be a health boon too – especially when it comes to lung disease. As well as improving morale and ‘feel good factor’ singing regularly as part of an organised group can have a range of positive effects brought about […]
We are still some way off finding a cure for COPD, the umbrella term for several different lung conditions including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. These conditions feature different underlying mechanisms but have similar health effects. In terms of curing the disease, one possibility is repairing damaged lung tissue or replacing it with working tissue. Exciting […]
Every five minutes in the UK, one person dies from lung disease, a statistic that underlines the massive impact of conditions such as COPD, chronic asthma and lung cancer. Yet, despite the fact that lung disease is one of the three big killers in the UK, alongside cancer and cardiovascular disease, it comes a very […]
Asthma is caused by a temporary narrowing of the airways. Special mast cells on the surface of the breathing tubes react to certain triggers, which can include pollens, cold air, exercise or even anxiety. The mast cells release substances called histamine and leukotrienes which cause the smooth muscles in the airways to contract and mucus […]
Many people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease are diagnosed at a late stage of the condition where it has already caused significant damage to the lungs. COPD is an umbrella term which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema and the single largest cause is smoking. There are many reasons why diagnosis is late, including the fact […]
In the 21st century, tobacco consumption will kill a billion people if not tackled seriously. Due to the global population rise and a shift of main tobacco consumers from the Global North to the Global South, the figures of affected people are rising too – unfortunately this is impacting the socially and economically less adaptable. […]
A look at how asbestos is formed and at the various fireproof goods it can be used to make. One of many inventions we might now consider rather dangerous! […]
Read More… from The Wonderful Uses of Asbestos – Amazing Inventions | British Pathé
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating disease which occurs when tissue deep inside the lungs becomes thick and scarred. This scarring, known a fibrosis, makes it harder to breathe and get sufficient oxygen into the bloodstream. Although there is a great deal which we don’t know about it, including the reason why it happens, we […]
Would any doctor continue to prescribe a drug which they had been told would benefit 20 per cent of patients with a specific illness, once the truth was revealed to be around 7 per cent, only one percent better than no treatment at all? You’d have to hope not and that concerned and angry doctors […]