What is pleurisy? Share Your Story Pleurisy (also termed pleuritis) is inflammation of the double layered membrane that surrounds the lungs termed the pleura or plural membranes. These membranes surround the lungs (visceral pleura) and line the ribcage (parietal pleura). The pleura lubricate the lungs, and this allows the lung tissue to easily inflate and...
What is urokinase-injection, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Urokinase is a thrombolytic medication made from human neonatal kidney cells. Urokinase is an enzyme (protein) that disrupts the clotting cycle and breaks down blood clots lodged in the lungs in people with pulmonary embolism. The FDA approved urokinase under the brand name Kinlytic...
What is the sweat chloride test? The sweat chloride test is a common and simple test used to evaluate a patient who is suspected of having cystic fibrosis (CF), the most common lethal genetic disease affecting Caucasians. Cystic fibrosis is often clinically suspected when there is poor growth during infancy or recurrent serious intestinal or...
What is Stiolto Respimat, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Stiolto Respimat is a combination of inhaled medications used for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It consists of two medications, tiotropium bromide (Spiriva) and olodaterol (Striverdi Respimat). Tiotropium bromide is an inhaled bronchodilator that enlarges (dilates) airways (bronchi) in the lungs and...
What is thallium? Pure thallium is a bluish-white metal that is found in trace amounts in the earth’s crust. In the past, thallium was obtained as a by-product from smelting other metals; however, it has not been produced in the United States since 1984. Currently, all the thallium is obtained from imports and from thallium...
What Is Tobacco Addiction? When people are addicted, they have a compulsive need to seek out and use a substance, even when they understand the harm it can cause. Tobacco products — cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco — can all be addictive. Everyone knows that smoking is bad for you, and most people that...
Smoking and Heart Disease Introduction Most people associate cigarette smoking with breathing problems and lung cancer. But did you know that smoking is also a major cause of heart disease for men and women? About 20% of all deaths from heart disease in the U.S. are directly related to cigarette smoking. That’s because smoking is...
Introduction If you have emphysema or chronic bronchitis, you know how miserable it feels when you catch a cold. After all, breathing is difficult enough with a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Not only does catching a cold worsen your ability to breathe and be active, but the cold virus increases your chance of getting...