All the Huff About HFA Inhalers

A certain George made a comment on this blog about asthma patients complaining that they are having problems with their HFA inhalers. They state that their HFA inhalers do not work as well as their CFC inhalers. Check the multiple links he has below(under Comments in the Spring Tips) and get involved if you agree.

I think it is equally important to point out that the evidence is there to show that the amount of albuterol delivered by the HFA and CFC inhalers are comparable. It may be worth checking the FDA's website on this for a balanced take on this case. Go to http://www.fda.gov/cder/mdi/albuterol.htm

Spring Allergies

We had a teaser last weekend with temperatures hitting the 70's, and now were back to the 40's agian. But many allergy sufferers started to feel the effects, although for only a few days, of the tree pollens in the air. We've already been getting calls of patients' eyes getting red, swelling and excruciatly itching, and some complaining of sneezing, runny nose and nasal and throat itching. Pollen allergy season hits very hard here in the Midwest thus various practical measures need to be taken if you know you have pollen allergies.

A few outdoor pollen allergy tips include:

• Avoid the outdoors in the late mornings, during the times pollens peak in the day


• Its best to go outdoors immediately after it rains because the air gets washed and the air pollen counts drop dramatically


• Keep window and doors closed to prevent the millions of pollen grains from entering your home


• Install high-efficiency filters such as HEPA or electrostatic filters into your furnace, and allow your HVAC fan to run on the constant "on" setting rather than the intermittent "auto" setting.


• If possible delegate outside work to someone not afflicted by pollen allergies


• Wear a mask if doing work outdoors such as yardwork or gardening is unavoidable


• Remove clothing and wash after doing outdoor tasks


• Wash your hair, face, arms. or shower immediately working outdoors

If these measures do not help and your symptoms persist despite taking various over the counter antihistamines such as Loratidine or Cetirizine, then it is time to see an allergist.

Pollen-Catching Window Screen

We pollen-allergy sufferers would shudder at the thought of keeping our windows open during the spring or fall pollen seasons. We have thus made it a practice to keep our windows closed during the peak pollen seasons or all the time. There is a new window screen in the market, that reports to be tightly woven enough to prevent pollens from entering homes even with the windows open. So maybe there is hope that this would allow us to open our windows, and enjoy the fresh outside air, during the spring and fall seasons. Check them out.

http://www.pollentec.com/

New HFA inhalers Elevate Breathe Alcohol

An interesting report was released by Reuters Health that the new hydrofluoralkane(HFA) asthma inhalers could potentially give an elevated breath alcohol in a breathalyzer test. Investigators in Australia, Dr Deborah Yates and colleagues at St Vincent's College, Darlinhurst studied 16 asthma patients and 15 control patients, testing the effect of CFC inhalers, HFA-ethanol inhalers and placebo inhalers on the level of breathed alcohol concentration(BEC) on the breathlyzer test. They also investigated the effect of ingested alcohol on the test. Interestingly, there was a significant although transient, elevation of BEC, lasing about 5 minutes, after using the HFA inhaler.

So do we now not puff and drive?

The implications are interesting although short term, I think Leno or Letterman might be taking swipes at this more than anything else.

Anyway, this should not stop us from using these earth-friendly and effective asthma medications.

The link below can get you to the article's abstract.

Respirology 2009;14:112-116

Stronger Reason to Get the Flu Vaccine

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has been observing an increase in the incidence of resistance to the drug Tamiflu, an oral medication used to treat influenza. Last year's flu season revealed a 12% incidence of Tamiflu resistance however this year, preliminary data from the CDC suggests that resistance is approaching 100%. Alternative oral medications are available but can be given to adults only.

This makes for a stronger case for getting the influenza vaccine yearly since the alternative of treatment, using potentially ineffective treatment from drug-resistance, seems to be less attractive.

The flu vaccine is indicated for anyone with asthma, COPD or other chronic illnesses.

Check the following links:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-03-02-fluvirus-Tamifluresistant_N.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/

Asthma Winter Tips

Asthma sufferers need to take caution during the winter season to avoid triggers that can cause an asthma exacerbation.

Many asthma patients know very well when they go outdoors in the cold air that they start to experience chest tightness, cough, shortness of breath and wheezing. Try to stay indoors however, if going outdoors is a must then taking precautionary measures such as dressing warm and wearing a scarf over the mouth and nose are helpful.

Respiratory infections, such as the common cold and the flu, can cause serious asthma flare-ups, and result in hospitalizations and emergency room visits. The flu vaccine is strongly recommended in all asthmatics. Precautionary measures such as frequent hand washing, avoiding individuals with the sniffles, wiping surfaces and door knobs with mild soap and water or disinfectant, and avoid wiping the face with bare hands are a few tips to keep in mind.

The indoor pet allergen accumulates when the house gets all closed-up. Cat allergen is a protein that is present in the cat secretions including their saliva and urine. It is a very light allergen that floats in the air, gets recirculated throughout the ventilation system, and accumulates in a home's air environment due to tightness and efficiency of the modern homes. The best solution is getting rid of the cat but this is not practical in most cases, thus environmental control measures such as HEPA air-filters in the furnace or portable room HEPA air-cleaners can be used to decrease the amount of cat allergen in the home. Keeping the pet out of the bedroom is really important.

Lastly, there is no substitute to maintaining one's controller asthma medications and keeping in close contact with one's allergist during the winter months.