Allergy skin testing children-No needles, please!
Allergy skin testing continues to be a most valuable method to identify allergies. Even in children, the skin test may be better tolerated than attempting to obtain a blood sample. In the above photo (circa 1996), a patient is tolerating the skin testing like a …
Managing asthma during pregnancy; protecting you and your unborn child!
You just found out—-you’re pregnant! Many questions and concerns may be going through your mind with this news. If you have asthma, the first few questions that may come to mind for the mother-to-be are: 1) will my asthma affect my baby? 2) will my …
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ProAir RespiClick Now Approved for Children
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded the indication for albuterol inhalation powder (ProAir® RespiClick by Teva Respiratory) to children aged 4 to 11 years. ProAir® RespiClick is now indicated for the treatment or prevention of asthma and for prevention of exercise-induced asthma …
New Biological Drug to Treat Asthma
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Nucala® (mepolizumab) for use with other asthma medicines for the treatment of asthma in patients age 12 years and older. Nucala® is approved for patients who have a history of severe asthma attacks despite taking their …
Did Your Grandma Smoke? You bet your asthma she did.
Smoking cigarettes is unhealthy. Second hand smoke exposure is unhealthy. Everybody knows that! When pregnant women smoke, their child is more likely to have low lung function in childhood and adulthood. But, what happens to her grandchildren when granny smoked when she was pregnant? This …
New Treatments for Asthma: Change Your Lifestyle
While the diagnosis of asthma has not changed significantly, the treatment has (and should). Asthma affects 25 million people (including 7 million children) in the U.S. The incidence of asthma has increased in the last few decades, and while the exact reason for this is …
Asthma/COPD drug being discontinued.
Do you have asthma or COPD? If so and you have been using the inhaler called Foradil, take note. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Foradil Aerolizer (contains formoterol fumarate) and produced by Merck has been discontinued. The decision to discontinue Foradil was …
Asthma and Allergy: Not Do-it-Yourself Disorders!
Do it yourself! That was my idea when I decided to remove the wallpaper from my wife’s kitchen. It was a disaster! Or the time I decided to “re-build” a 1973 Jeep CJ-5. How hard could it be? I had a manual, the internet, …
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Spiriva now approved for asthma!
Although Spiriva has been used in the U.S. for the treatment of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) at a once a day dose of 2 puffs (5 mcg total) since 2004, there is good news for individuals with asthma! The US Food and Drug Administration …
Preparing for allergies when going OTC (Off To College)!
In this month’s issue of Montana Parent magazine, I provide a checklist for student’s with asthma and allergies who are preparing to head off to college. The transition can be challenging enough for students without health issues so imagine the potential issues when you leave …