CLEVELAND—Veterans are three times more likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than the general population, and COPD is the fifth most prevalent disease in the veteran population, affecting about 15% of VHA patients, according to previous research. A...
Trying to Determine What Leads to Tobacco Cessation in Vets
MINNEAPOLIS — Incidental pulmonary nodules are commonly found on routine chest imaging, but not enough is known about smoking behaviors among patients with IPNs or characteristics of patient-clinician communication that may contribute to these behaviors.
Benzodiazepines Prescribed Long-Term for COPD/PTSD
SEATTLE — Symptoms of insomnia and anxiety are common among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and that is especially the case among patients with comorbid mental health disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder, according to a new study.
Tests Show No Lung Changes for Recent Veterans
SAN ANTONIO — Significant airborne hazards were reported during military conflicts in southwest Asia, including geologic dusts, burn pit emissions, chemical exposures, and increased rates of smoking.
Steroid Overuse Suggests Benefit to Flipping PCP/Specialist Paradigm in COPD
SEATTLE—New guidelines published in 2017 upended recommendations for use of inhaled corticosteroids in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary. Two years later, many VA patients still receive discordant care. To fix the problem, the VA’s Health Services Research...
VA Announces Plans to Create 3D-Printed Artificial Lung
3D Printing Already Personalizes Care in Other Ways ANN ARBOR, MI—VA scientists in Michigan recently announced they are working to create a three-dimensional-printed artificial lung. The lab-created lung could transform treatment for some of the approximately one...
As burn pit registry grows, VA expands research into related lung disease
The potential cost to the VA for lung disease associated with deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan shot up this year when an administrative law judge with the U.S. Department of Labor ruled that exposure to open-air burn pits caused a veteran’s lung disease.
Longer LOS Doesn’t Reduce COPD Readmissions
Recent financial penalties for high risk-adjusted chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) readmissions have pushed hospitals to search for ways to reduce readmissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a new study notes.