No abstract available.

Chronic airway diseases (asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease) are common and their prevalence is increasing worldwide. The most effective method for drug delivery for the treatment of patients with chronic airway diseases is via an inhaler device. The guidelines on asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) recommend inhaler medication for the treatment of these patients. Inhaled medications have several advantages, including faster onset of action, a lower dose of medicine, and reduced adverse effects. To maximize the effect of inhaled medication, patients must use the inhaler device correctly; thus patients should receive training and education in the use of the device. There are now many kinds of inhaler devices on the market, such that the appropriate choice of inhaler device for each patient plays a crucial role in achieving a good outcomes from treatment. Correct use of inhalation devices will maximize the beneficial effects of therapy. A detailed assessment of the patient's coordination and inspiratory flow patterns could allow for the correct use of the most suitable inhaler medication for each patient. Successful inhalation therapy can increase the possibility of controlling airway diseases.
Asthma ; Equipment and Supplies ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Lung ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Prevalence ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Respiratory Therapy

No abstract available.
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive*

No abstract available.
Atrioventricular Block* ; Long QT Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*psychology ; *Awareness ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice/*ethnology ; Humans ; Male ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/*ethnology ; Smoking/*adverse effects/*ethnology

No abstract available.
Asthma ; Communicable Diseases

Asthma is the most common chronic illness to affect children and is a major cause of morbidity in adults, affecting 4~17% of children and 7.3~10.1% of adults, which translates to approximately 300 million people globally. This article reviews recently published data over the past 1~2 years on asthma, and covers the 3 aspects of current advancement for the diagnosis of severe asthma, including the controversy to long-acting bronchodilator treatment for treatment of asthma, and the role of long-acting anticholinergics treatment in asthma patients.
Adult ; Asthma ; Child ; Cholinergic Antagonists ; Chronic Disease ; Humans

In order to evaluate the efficacy of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the reduction of left ventricular afterload, we studied the hemodynamic and intrapulmonary shunt effects of intravenous ATP during ethrane-N2O anesthesia. Hemodynamic measurements and arterial and mixed venous blood gas analyses were made in ten patients before (baseline) and 10 min after. ATP infusion at 80,60,120 and 250 mcg/kg/min, respective. The results were as follows: 1) ATP produced a rapid and stable reduction in mean arterial pressure resulting from a marked decrease in systemic vascular resistance. 2) Cardiac index increased significantly by 14, 47 and 72% from baseline value after intravenous infusion of ATP at rates of 60, 120 and 250 mcg/kg/min, respectively. 3) Stroke volume index, heart rate, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and central venous pressure increased significantly, whereas systemic vasular resistance and pulmonary vascular resistance decreased significantly in a dose related fashion during ATP infusion. 4) Intrapulmonary ehunt fraction increased from 5.67% to 6.73, 8.28, 9.85 and 13.38% after intra- venous infusion of ATP at rates of 30, 60, 120 and 250 mcg/kg/min, respectively. 5) Arterial oxygen tension decreased significantly after ATP infusion. These results suggest that ATP might be of value in augmentation of cardiac performance in patients with low cardiac output with high peripheral vascular resistance.
Adenosine Triphosphate* ; Adenosine* ; Anesthesia ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Cardiac Output, Low ; Central Venous Pressure ; Enflurane* ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Lung ; Oxygen ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Stroke Volume ; Vascular Resistance

The purpose of this study was to observe the additive effect of halothane anesthesia and propranolol, and also the effect of atropine and isoproterenol on the heart rate and the blood pressure after propranolol during halothane anesthesia in human-volunteers. The results were as follows: 1) In conscious patients, 10 minutes after intravenous administration of 1.0mg propranolol the heart rate was slower but there was no significant change in the blood pressure. 2) Twenty-thirty minutes after halothane anesthesia, the heart rate was slower by 6 to 8 beats per minute: systolic and diastolic blood pressure was lower by 20.4 torr and 10.5 torr, respectively. 3) 10 minutes after intravenous administration of 1.0mg propranolol during halothane anesthesia, the heart rate was decreased by 7.8, 7.0 per minute: systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased by 6.7, 5.7 torr and 3.0, 3.9 torr in the atropine and isoproterenol group, respectively. 4) One minute after intravenous administration of atropine 0.5mg after propranolol 1.0mg during halothane anesthesia, the heart rate increased by 12.1 per minute and persisted so far 10 minutes, but the blood pressure did not increase. 5) One minute after intravenous administration of isoproterenol 0.025mg after propranolol 1.0mg during halothane anesthesia, the heart rate had markedly increased by 35, but normalized 10 minutes later. The systolic blood pressure was increased by 13.4 torr but normalized 10 minutes later. 6) The above results indicate: Atropine increases the heart rate which has been slowed with propranolol during halothane anesthesia: isoproterenol increases the heart rate and blood pressure but the duration of action was short. Therefore, authors considered that atropine is useful for the maintenance of heart rate, and continuous administration of isoproterenol for maintenance of blood pressure and heart rate after propranolol during halothane anesthesia.
Administration, Intravenous ; Anesthesia* ; Atropine* ; Blood Pressure* ; Halothane* ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Isoproterenol* ; Propranolol*

BACKGROUND: Pneumoconiosis is a parenchymal lung disease that results from the accumulation of coal dust in the lungs and the consequent tissue reaction. To evaluate the role of various personal factors in pneumoconosis and the significance of some serologic markers for assessing the disease activity related to pneumoconiosis, the Rheumatoid Factor(RF), α1-AT, C-Reactive Protein(CRT), ceruloplasmin and fibrinogen levels were measured. METHOD: All the patients were males, 45-76 years old, and the mean duration of coal dust exposure was 23.2 years. 51 patients were classified as having Simple Pneumoconiosis (SP), 59 had Progressive Massive Fibrosis (PMF). Fifty eight men with ages ranging from 26-70 years wer used as normal controls. The serum RF and CRT were titrated using an Autochemistry analyzer (HITACHI 7150 : Japan) and the α1-AT and ceruloplasmin levels were measured using a Nephelometer (Behring Nephelometer : Germany) and the fibrinogen levels were estimated by using and Autoanalyzer for hematologic coagulation. RESULT: There was a higher RF level in the SP, and PMF groups than in the control groups but there was no statistical difference. The CRP, α1-AT, and ceruloplasmin levels were also higher in the SP, and PMF groups. However, the fibrinogen concentration was within the normal ranges in both the SP and PMF groups. CONCLUSION: The CWP (Ed note : Define CWP) patients had significantly higher CRP, α1-AT, and ceruloplasmin levels compared to the control group. It is believed that these serologic changes could be used as a marker of the disease activity.
C-Reactive Protein ; Ceruloplasmin ; Coal* ; Dust ; Fibrinogen ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Male ; Pneumoconiosis* ; Reference Values ; Rheumatoid Factor