This article was written by Michael W. Hess, MPH, RRT, RPFT. After November, many people feel COPD Awareness Month is behind them. However, for the millions of people affected by COPD, awareness of this condition never goes away. Living with a chronic breathing problem can affect literally every moment of every day. That is why it is so important to not only make sure people with COPD have access to the best available therapies, but that medical research includes helping people breathe better at the top of the list. I recently asked Dr. David Mannino, Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of th ..read more

This article was written by Crystal Rothhaar, BS. Are you at risk for chronic lung disease? Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive and potentially debilitating lung condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It comprises several conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and can be caused by genetics and irritants such as smoke or pollution. In the United States cigarette smoking remains the most common cause but data suggests that 25-40% of COPD occurs in never smokers. Other risk factors include genetics, air pollution, occupational exposures, as ..read more

This post was written by: Amanda Atkinson, MSN, RN. We live in a changing world where it seems like the pressures around us grow every day. Mental wellness has never been more important. Mental well-being is not just trendy or a buzzword, it is an important part of our overall health and happiness. Just as we make the health of our body a priority, we must also make our mental wellness a priority. Some people think that these two parts of us are separate. In reality, they are tightly connected. Dr. Kiran Palande and I discuss some common questions about how your mental health and physical heal ..read more

This article was written by Bailey McCrary. My name is Bailey McCrary, Advocacy and Public Policy Manager at the COPD Foundation. As you may be aware, changes to Medicare have been discussed by the United States government. Because these changes could impact COPD patients, I wanted to learn more about one of the sources of these changes: the Inflation Reduction Act. I decided to chat with Jamie Sullivan, Senior Director of Public Policy at the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases. Jamie spent 10 years with the COPD Foundation and is a subject matter expert on health policy. She will help us ..read more

On May 25, 2023 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first oral antiviral pill to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adult patients who have underlying conditions or are at high risk of complications from COVID. This medication, called Paxlovid, was originally available under the emergency use authorization (EUA) and was made available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As of the writing of this post, the United States government will continue to make Paxlovid available to U.S. residents at no charge. For more information about the approval of Paxlovi ..read more

This post was authored by Kristen Szymonik, BS, RRT, AE-C Many of us take supplements and vitamins to help us stay healthy. But do you know what's really in your supplements? Many people think that supplements are safe because they are natural. But those of us with seasonal allergies know that things found in nature can cause severe allergic reactions. Think about the supplements that you take. What are the names of the ingredients? Have you looked up those scientific-sounding names to find out what they mean? You might be surprised to know that you could be taking a supplement that contains t ..read more

April 7, 2023 Philips DreamStations Recall - The United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a notice that certain Philips Respironics DreamStation CPAP and BiPAP machines have been recalled. This recall is for certain reworked DreamStation devices that were assigned incorrect or duplicate serial numbers. A machine with an incorrect serial number is a problem because therapy may be delivered using the wrong prescription or factory default settings. It could even fail to deliver any therapy. If such an error occurs, there is no warning or alert. This failure could lead to heal ..read more

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a medical device correction for all Baxter International’s Life2000 Ventilation Systems. There is potential for the user’s oxygen saturation to fall to dangerous levels during use while the equipment is attached to an oxygen source. As mentioned in an earlier communication from the FDA, users can continue to use their machines, but they should perform careful daily inspections of the tubing and the equipment in use – both the Life2000 Ventilation System and the oxygen source. Routine cleaning procedures should be performed as desc ..read more

February 9, 2023 - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement today related to the Philips Respironics recall of respiratory assist devices such as CPAP, BiPAP, and Trilogy machines. All device manufacturers are required to file medical device reports (MDRs) when they become aware that their devices have caused injury or death. To learn more about the MDRs filed by Philips Respironics, please visit the FDA website. Patients and health care professionals can file voluntary reports for adverse reactions with the FDA through their respective links ..read more

This article was written by Michael W. Hess, MPH, RRT, RPFT In 2021, our Oxygen360 team noticed that online retailers were selling machines listed as “portable oxygen concentrators (POCs).” Many POCs are a good way for many people to stay mobile and active. However, they are not a good fit for everyone. They use a type of oxygen delivery called pulse dosing to conserve oxygen. This is different than the continuous flow from a regular concentrator. They are not able to provide high liter flow rates for people who need lots of oxygen during exercise or activity. Medicare and other insurance comp ..read more