Pneumonitis: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments.

Pneumonitis is a disorder where a person has an allergic reaction in their lungs caused by certain inhaled substances. The condition is also referred to as hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

The reaction they have to these substances can cause air sacs in one or both lungs to become inflamed. If untreated, the condition can cause long-term damage to the lungs. However, pneumonitis can be completely reversed if action is taken quickly. 

In this article, we take a look at the symptoms, causes, and treatments of pneumonitis. We also examine the differences between the condition and the more familiar pneumonia.

Symptoms of pneumonitis include shortness of breath, rattling sounds
in the lungs, and coughing.

Read more: Pneumonitis: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments.

Source: MedicalNewsToday

New Understanding Of Pulmonary Hypertension Leads To Promising Drug Targets

A groundbreaking new study led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC has identified a new group of compounds that could have robust effects in treating pulmonary hypertension (PH), an enigmatic but sometimes fatal disease of the blood vessels of the lungs that currently has no cure. The findings, which were published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, highlight the use of these drugs to alter vessel stiffness and its downstream control of metabolism, a link previously unknown for people suffering from the progressive disease.

“If we aim to cure this disease, the next set of medications and treatments should be those that target the origin at the molecular level,” said Stephen Y. Chan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UPMC Center for Pulmonary Vascular Biology and Medicine at the Vascular Medicine Institute at Pitt, and senior author of the study. “As a community, we are struggling right now to understand those origins of PH, and this study aimed to address that untapped need.”

Read more: New Understanding Of Pulmonary Hypertension Leads To Promising Drug Targets

Source: bioengineer

The Common Cold and That Dreaded Flu Virus

Here it is again, the cold and flu season when we all head indoors to share our sneezes and viruses. It’s time to get serious about preventing illness, and that means caring for our personal air filter: the nose.

Viruses are the worst seasonal offenders, and colds are the most common virus we pass around. But the influenza virus is so much worse than a cold. Most folks do not really understand the difference between these two illnesses, yet the difference can be deadly.

Influenza, commonly called “the flu,” is caused by the influenza virus. This is a specific respiratory virus quite different than the cold virus. The entire respiratory tract—including the nose, throat, and lungs—becomes infected. The illness is severe and can be life-threatening; children, the elderly, and those who have underlying medical conditions are at greatest risk for complications.

Read more: The Common Cold and That Dreaded Flu Virus

Source: naturalsolutionsmag

Bacterial Pneumonia - Get the Facts

Bacterial pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs due to some form of bacteria. There are different types of bacteria that may lead to the infection.

The lungs are made up of different sections or lobes. There are three lobes on the right and two on the left. Bacterial pneumonia can affect both lungs, one lung, or even just one section of a lung.

The lobes of the lungs are made up of small air sacs called alveoli. Normally, the air sacs fill with air. Oxygen is inhaled and carbon dioxide in exhaled.

When a person develops pneumonia, the air sacs become inflamed, which can cause them to fill with fluid. If the air sacs are filled with fluid instead of air, it can make breathing difficult. In some cases, the lungs may not get enough oxygen.

Read more: Bacterial Pneumonia - Get the Facts

Bacteria that cause pneumonia are spread through coughing. Doctors will carry out a chest X-ray to

assess fluid buildup in the lungs. An annual flu vaccine can help prevent pneumonia.

Source: medicalnewstoday