ALCOHOL increases the risk of lobular and hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, but not necessarily invasive ductal carcinomas, according to a study published August 23 online in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Although alcohol intake is an established risk factor for overall breast cancer, few studies have looked at the relationship between alcohol use and breast cancer risk by subtype of breast cancer. While some studies have shown alcohol use is more strongly related to risk of hormone receptor-positive (estrogen receptor and/or progesterone receptor-positive) breast cancer, not many have looked at breast cancer risk by histology, or whether a tumour is ductal – in the milk ducts or lobular, in the milk-producing lobules.
To understand how alcohol may influence sub-types of breast cancer, Prof. Christopher I. Li and colleagues at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, United States, conducted an observational study of a subset of patients in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study conducted between 1993 and 1998, which included 87,724 postmenopausal women aged 50-79 years.
The researchers looked at the following data from the 2,944 women in the WHI study who developed invasive breast cancer: tumor subtypes and hormone status, alcohol consumption, demographic and lifestyle characteristics, family history of diseases and reproductive history.
Women were categorised as those who never drank, those who formerly drank and those who currently drank. Drinkers were grouped into six categories according to the average number of drinks per week, starting from less than one drink per week to more than 14 drinks per week.
The researchers found that alcohol use is more strongly related to the risk of lobular carcinoma than ductal carcinoma, and more strongly related to hormone-receptor- positive breast cancer than hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer.
SCIENTISTS report results of a new clinical trial confirming that just two 8-ounce glasses of water (about 1.89 litres), taken before meals, enables people to shed kilos.
A senior author on the study presented at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), Dr. Brenda Davy, said: “We are presenting results of the first randomised controlled intervention trial demonstrating that increased water consumption is an effective weight loss strategy.
“We found in earlier studies that middle aged and older people who drank two cups of water right before eating a meal ate between 75 and 90 fewer calories during that meal. In this recent study, we found that over the course of 12 weeks, dieters who drank water before meals, three times per day, lost about five pounds (2.27 kilograms) more than dieters who did not increase their water intake.”
“People should drink more water and less sugary, high-calorie drinks. It’s a simple way to facilitate weight management.”
NIGERIAN researchers suggest that increasing the intake of some local plants such as zobo, Lagos spinach, and brimstone tree can prevent and contain the raging cholera and measles epidemics.
The country has lost hundreds of lives in the past weeks to the twin killer diseases of cholera and measles, and other gastrointestinal diseases like diarrhoea. But Nigerian researchers suggest that the menace can be contained with local herbs.
Researchers have validated Terminalia avicennoides and Morinda morindoides (brimstone tree) for the prevention and treatment of cholera, diarrhoea and gastroenteritis; and zobo (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and quail grass (Celosia argentea) for measles and other viral infections.
Terminalia avicennioides belongs to the family Combretaceae. It is called pyoso in Berom, bodeyi in Fulfulde, nkeng in Geomai, baushe in Hausa, barbar in Kanuri, kpace in Nupe, kuegh in Tiv, and idi in Yoruba.
Morinda morindoides is well known in the traditional medical practice of the west central part of Ivory Coast. It is commonly called Zêlékelé in the local language of ‘Bété’ and is used as an antifungal agent. The leaves of the plant are used in traditional medicine to treat diarrhoea.
Hibiscus sabdariffa is commonly called roselle in English. It belongs to the family Malvaceae. The vegetable is widely grown and commonly used as port herb or soup in the northern part of Nigeria. In Hausa, the plant is locally called yakuwa, the seed isontea while the fresh calyx is referred to as soboroto. The Yoruba call the leaves amukan and the flowers ishapa. However, it is commonly called zobo in Nigeria.
Commonly called quail grass, Lagos spinach, or lizard bean- because the plant is often frequented by lizards, Celosia argentea belongs to the plant family Amaranthceae. It is called sheiba in Arabic; aborra in Edo; farar alayyafo in Hausa; eriamionu or eriemio in Igbo; igyar in Tiv; sokoyokoto (make husband fat) in Yoruba.
Akinsinde K. A. and Olukoya D. K. of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos, have demonstrated the potential of seven Nigerian herbs in the treatment of cholera (caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae).
The study titled “Vibriocidal activities of some local herbs” was published in Journal of Diarrhoeal Disease Residence.
Four of the seven tested medicinal plants exhibited antimicrobial activity against Vibrio cholerae. These seven plants are: Ficus capensis, Mitragyna stipulosa, Entada africana, Piliostigma reticulatum, Terminalia avicennoides, Mimosa pudica, and Lannea acida. Terminalia avicennoides showed higher anti-mocrobial activity than others.
Terminalia avicennioides has been used to stop diarrhoea, which goes with cholera, in mice. The study titled “Antidiarrhoeal activity of the aqueous extract of Terminalia avicennoides roots” was published in Phytotherapy Research.
The researchers wrote: “The antidiarrhoeal effects of the aqueous root extract of Terminalia avicennoides were evaluated in rodents. Studies were carried out on the isolated rabbit jejunum, gastrointestinal motility in vivo and on castor oil-induced diarrhoea in mice.
“The results revealed that the extract exhibited a concentration-dependent inhibition of the spontaneous pendular movement of the isolated rabbit jejunum and attenuated acetylcholine induced contractions. The extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) also caused a dose-dependent decrease of gastrointestinal transit and markedly protected mice against castor oil-induced diarrhoea.
“A preliminary phytochemical screening of the aqueous extract of T. avicennoides roots revealed the presence of tannins, saponins and flavonoids. The results obtained showed that the water extract of T. avicennoides roots may contain some biologically active principles that may be active against diarrhoea and this may be the basis for its use traditionally for gastrointestinal disorders.”
Researchers have also used brimstone tree (Morinda morindoides) to contain cholera in Cote d’Ivoire.
The study titled “Antimicrobial activity of Morinda morindoides on in vitro growth of vibrio cholerae in Côte d’Ivoire” was published in PubMed.
The researchers from Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Institut National de Santé Publique (INSP), Abidjan, wrote: “Cholera is a major public health problem in developing countries. As a contribution to management of this disease, the study described herein was carried out in Côte d’Ivoire. The purpose was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of products obtained by various techniques from the leaves of Morinda morindoides (brimstone tree) on a pathogenic strain of Vibrio cholerae O:1.
“Morinda morindoides is a medicinal plant in the Ivorian pharmacopoeia. The products were obtained as aqueous extracts, 70 per cent ethanolic extracts, residual extracts and a chromatographic fraction (BGG F5). All three extracts and the chromatographic fraction showed considerable in vitro antimicrobial efficacy against Vibrio cholerae O:1. The most active against in vitro growth of Vibrio cholorae O:1 was the 70 per cent ethanolic extract with a minimal bactericidal concentration of 5 mg/ml. The antibacterial properties of this medicinal plant can be of great benefit for management of cholera.”
A recent study by researchers at the University of Lagos studied the leaves of Hibiscus sabdariffa (red and green leaved) and Celosia argentea for their antiviral activities against Measles Virus (MV) as well as the effects of the extracts on Hep-2 cells (a cell line which is commonly used in clinical virology for the isolation of different viruses from clinical specimens). The study is titled: “Antiviral effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Celosia argentea on measles virus.”
Results of the study published in African Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 4 (4), pp. 293-296, February 2010, showed that neither H. sabdariffa (red and green leaved) nor C. argentea extract had toxicity effect on Hep-2 cells at all concentrations (5, 10 and 15 mg/ml) used. The pre-inoculative treatment of Hep-2 cells with plant extracts showed that C. argentea had no antiviral activities on MV at all concentrations (5, 10, 15 mg/ml) while H. sabdariffa had antiviral activities at 10 and 15 mg/ml on MV.
The post-inoculative treatment of Hep-2 cells with the plant extracts showed that H. sabdariffa had antiviral activities on MV at all concentrations (5, 10 and 15mg/ml) used. The antiviral activity of C. argentea could not be determined at 10 and 15 mg/ml but it had no antiviral activity on MV at 5 mg/ml.
The researchers wrote: “The antiviral activities exhibited by the ethanolic extracts of H. sabdariffa on MV at all concentrations used confirmed earlier work. The inhibitory activities of H. sabdariffa may be due to the presence of gossypetin, anthocyanin and glucoside hibicin contained in the plant (Duke, 1987). H. sabdariffa also displayed antiviral activities when used before the adsorption of virus to the cell. This could be due to the fact that the herb was able to bind to certain receptors on the cell, thereby preventing the virus from adsorbing to the cell.
“C. argentea exhibited the least antiviral effect on MV. This could be due to the structural components that resisted the effects of the extracts on MV. Contrary to the study by Singh et al. (1998), C. argentea had no antiviral activity when introduced into the cell prior to the introduction of the virus. The cytotoxicity assay showed that none of the extracts was toxic to Hep- 2 cells at all the concentrations used revealing great prospect in the use of the herbs for the treatment of viral diseases.
“The result of this research has suggested the antiviral activity of H. sabdariffa plant extracts. As at the moment, very little work has been done on the antiviral study of the test plant extracts. In vivo screening of the extracts would be done in order to confirm this in vitro finding. Once this is confirmed, these extracts could be recommended for both prophylactic and therapeutic control of MV. Furthermore, study to test the antiviral impact of these extracts on Yellow Fever Virus, Hepatitis viruses and HIV.”
The results revealed that the extract exhibited a concentration-dependent inhibition of the spontaneous pendular movement of the isolated rabbit jejunum and attenuated acetylcholine induced contractions. The extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) also caused a dose-dependent decrease of gastrointestinal transit and markedly protected mice against castor oil-induced diarrhoea.
One-fifth of American women ages 50 to 74 have fallen behind on mammography screenings for breast cancer, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention report.
Although the percentage of women in this age group who get a regular breast cancer screening every two years increased steadily during the 1990s, the rate has plateaued since 2000 at just over 80 per cent, according to the centre’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The report is based on data collected from surveys given to 120,095 women in that age range.
Black women were found as likely as white women to have had a recent mammogram, with rates for both groups at just over 80 per cent. However, only 70 per cent of Native American women said they had been screened recently.
Rates varied by region as well, with the highest found in the Northeast. In the less-populated West-Central states, with fewer mammography clinics, the rates were lower.
Uninsured women were among those least likely to have been screened: only 56.3 per cent.
”The good news is that rates among African-Americans are equal with those of whites, but we want to get the rates up even higher,” said the author of the report, Dr. Marcus Plescia, who is director of the disease centers‘ division of cancer prevention and control. ”We‘re optimistic the new Patient Protection and Affordability Act ought to make a difference.”
The CDC examined mammography rates only among women ages 50 to 74. Mammography recommendations for younger women are mixed, and a Preventive Services Task Force panel recently recommended against routine screening of women in their 40s.
Depression linked to later dementia
A new study suggests that people with depression are significantly more likely to develop dementia later in life.
The analysis, published July 6 in the journal Neurology, followed 949 participants in the famous Framingham Heart Study over an average of 8 1/2 years, some for as long as 17 years.
In that time, more than 17 per cent – 164 participants – developed dementia. But among those who were depressed when the study started, the rate was much higher: almost 22 per cent.
Adjusting for differences between groups, researchers found that depression raised the risk of dementia by 72 per cent. And the more severe the depression, the greater the risk of dementia later.
The lead author, Dr. Jane Saczynski, an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, suggested that the vascular changes in the brain that are associated with depression might also lead to dementia. Given the study‘s long interval, she said, ”it is very clear that depression is a risk factor for dementia rather than a consequence of the disease.”
A thin white line among doctors?
One in three physicians say they do not believe they should always report an incompetent or significantly impaired colleague, a new study reports.
The finding, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, is based on responses from 1,891 physicians around the nation last year. Almost two-thirds said they ”completely agree” that they should report all instances of significant impairment or incompetence to an authority like a professional society, hospital or clinic; slightly more than one-third did not fully agree with the statement.
The study‘s lead author, Catherine M. DesRoches, an assistant professor at Mongan Institute for Health Policy and at Harvard Medical School, said she was surprised and troubled by the findings. The American Medical Association and other organisations state that doctors have an ethical obligation to report peers who are mentally ill, abusing alcohol or drugs, or technically incompetent.
”Physicians provide a valuable service to society, and we in turn give them certain privileges, like being able to control entry into their profession,” said DesRoches, who has a doctorate in public health but is not a physician. ”With those privileges comes the responsibility to self-regulate.”
Medical schools and continuing education courses for practicing physicians should devote more time to teaching the importance of reporting incompetent colleagues, she suggested.
Middle-aged women who are overweight may have yet another motivation to take off those excess pounds: The more a postmenopausal woman weighs, the worse her memory, researchers have found.
What‘s more, the negative impact on memory was more pronounced in ”pear-shaped” women who carry excess weight around their hips, and less of a factor in ”apple-shaped” women who carry it around their waists, the study authors noted.
In the new study, researchers found that for every one point increase in a woman‘s body mass index, her score on a standard memory test – though still in the normal range – dropped by one point. BMI is a measurement that takes into account height and weight.
The study, which was based on data from nearly 9,000 women who were enrolled in the Women‘s Health Initiative, a large government-sponsored study of postmenopausal women, was released online July 14 in advance of publication in the August print issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
”This study really underscores the importance of maintaining an ideal body weight,” said lead researcher Dr. Diana Kerwin, assistant professor of medicine in the division of geriatrics at Northwestern University‘s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. ”Even if a woman feels that she‘s generally healthy because her blood pressure and cholesterol levels are good, what these findings suggest is that she also needs to pay attention to her weight, because it‘s not only good for her heart, it‘s also good for her brain.”
For the study, Kerwin and her colleagues examined data on 8,745 women between the ages of 65 and 79 who had no signs of dementia or other brain abnormalities. In addition to looking at BMI and waist and hip measurements (to determine body fat distribution), they also reviewed the women‘s scores on a 100-point cognitive functioning test known as the Modified Mini-Mental Status Examination. Roughly 70 percent of the women were overweight or obese.
After controlling for age, level of education and vascular diseases that have been shown to raise the risk of dementia, such as stroke, the researchers found that the association between obesity and poorer memory and brain function persisted. Kerwin, who conducted the study while a geriatrics researcher at the Medical College of Wisconsin, added that although the women‘s scores were still in the normal range, the added weight clearly had a detrimental effect.
Kerwin said more studies are needed to confirm and explain the apparent disparity between pear- and apple-shaped women. But one possibility is that the type of fat that‘s deposited on the hips is more likely to release hormones that are detrimental to brain function, she said. A follow-up study now in the planning stages will involve conducting MRIs of women‘s bodies, ”so we can look at how much abdominal fat they have versus hip fat, and see if there‘s any difference in their brain functioning,” Kerwin explained.
This study expands on several others involving body shape, in which obese apple-shaped women — but not pear-shaped women — were found to be at higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and dementia.
Women‘s health advocates hope a new product design and campaigns in several cities across the U.S. will encourage more women to consider female condoms to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, CNN reports. Since FDA approved a new version of the female condom in 2009, Chicago, New York City and other cities have launched programs to promote the method and train women in how to use them. San Francisco is considering a promotional campaign (Park, CNN, 8/2). In addition, last week, the Washington, D.C., health department launched a campaign to promote female condom use after a 2009 study found that about 3% of the city residents older than age 12 are HIV-positive (Women‘s Health Policy Report, 7/28).
According to CNN, while some women‘s health advocates consider female condoms another option for women to protect themselves from STIs and prevent pregnancy, other experts question their practicality. For example, Alexandra Katehakis, a certified sex therapist and clinical director of the Los Angeles-based Center for Healthy Sex, said that compared with male condoms, female condoms are cumbersome to use and take too long to put on.
However, Zoe Lehman, a support services coordinator at the Chicago Women‘s AIDS Project, noted that tampons also were unpopular at first, but they ultimately caught on. ”It‘s the same … with female condoms — it‘s not complicated at all,” Lehman said, adding, ”People have the idea it‘s more complicated to use it because no one has shown them how.”
Advocates also say that the female condom gives women more control over condom use. Mary Ann Leeper, senior strategic adviser at female condom manufacturer Female Health, said that ”[t]here‘s nothing wrong with the male condom,” but ”[a] lot of people — male and female — don‘t like it and have unprotected sex.” She added, ”What we say is it gives people options and empowers women to initiate a method if he doesn‘t use a male condom”
Doctors have used a genetically engineered herpes virus to help treat patients suffering from mouth, neck and head cancer. In a trial run by the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, 17 patients were given injections of the virus, as well as being treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The cold sore virus, known as Onco VEX, was modified to multiply inside cancer cells but not in healthy ones. It would then burst and kill tumour cells, as well as releasing a human protein that would help stimulate patients‘ immune systems.
The virus was injected into cancer affected lymph nodes of the patients, in up to four doses.
Tumour shrinkage could be seen on scans for 14 patients, and over three quarters of the participants showed no trace of residual cancer in their lymph nodes during subsequent surgery to remove them. More than two years later, over three quarters of the patients involved in the study had not succumbed to the disease.
Dr Kevin Harrington, Principle Investigator for the ICR and The Royal Marsden said: ”Around 35 to 55 per cent of patients given the standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment typically relapse within two years, so these results compare very favourably.
He added: ”This was a small study so the results should be interpreted with caution; however the very high rates of tumour response have led to the decision to take this drug into a large scale Phase III trial.”
The treatment‘s side-effects were mild to moderate, and most (except fever and fatigue) were thought to be caused by the chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, said: ”This study is very positive news. Mouth cancer is a devastating disease, and an increasing number of people are being affected. While any treatment that can be found to fight the disease is a great step forward, it is also vital that awareness of the illness, the early symptoms and the risk factors is made common knowledge. Early diagnosis improves survival rates from five in ten to nine in ten people. That highlights how important it is that the public know the facts.”
Mouth cancer claims one life every five hours in the UK and more than 5,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.
Tobacco use is the main cause for mouth cancer, with those who drink and smoke to excess being 30 times more likely to develop the disease.
The human papilloma virus has also been identified as a threat. Transmitted via oral sex, and also a known cause of cervical cancer, experts suggest HPV may rival tobacco as a key risk factor within the next 10 years.
A Common question asked by new mothers is the types of foods to offer and avoid when it comes to introducing their babies to solids. The recommended age for weaning a baby off of a breast milk or formula-only regimen is four to six months, according to the American Academy of Paediatrics. After that time, you should gradually introduce new foods to their system. When you do decide to take that step and introduce new foods to your baby, here are some tips about what foods to avoid until your baby‘s first birthday:
Honey
Honey can harbour poisonous botulism spores. While an adult‘s intestinal tract is strong enough to prevent the growth of these spores, a baby‘s system is not. This can produce life-threatening, poisoning toxins.
Peanut butter
The sticky and thick consistency of peanut butter can make it hard for an infant to swallow. Hold off on introducing peanut butter and other thick buttery spreads to your child.
Cow milk
It‘s best to stick with breast milk until your child is a year old because babies cannot properly digest the protein in cow milk. Additionally, cow‘s milk does not contain as many necessary nutrients as breast milk and it contains minerals that could damage his developing kidneys.
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Some other foods to avoid
Salt (baby‘s kidneys are not strong enough), low-fat foods (not recommended for kids under two), undiluted citrus and fruit juices, raw eggs, artificial sweeteners, hot dogs and sausages that are high in fat, foods with added spices and seasonings.
Choking hazards
Pea-sized foods are the safest to feed your child because there is less choking hazard. So, it is best to cut or dice everything you serve your baby, from fruits and vegetables to cheese and meats. Small, hard foods like nuts, popcorn, hard candies, raisins should be avoided as your baby could choke on them. Even soft foods like marshmallows and jelly candies can get stuck in your baby‘s throat.
Allergies
Doctors recommend waiting until the age of one or later to introduce solid foods that are common allergens, such as foods containing nuts. It‘s best to introduce new foods gradually, waiting several days to make sure your baby does not have a bad reaction to the meal. If allergies run in your family, check with your doctor to come up with the best plan for introducing foods like cow‘s milk, nuts, wheat, soy, fish and eggs.
Precautions
Do not allow your baby to eat in the car. It is difficult to supervise while driving and there are choking hazards if the ride becomes bumpy. If you are using a rub-on teething medication, make sure to keep an eye on your baby‘s eating habits because the medication could numb his or her throat and make it hard to swallow.
So, what can I feed my baby?
Within the first few weeks of weaning, it‘s safest to feed babies pureed foods, like pureed carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cooked apple, banana and pear. Packaged baby foods often contain a lot of sugar, so it‘s actually healthiest to puree your own baby‘s food so that you know exactly what‘s in his or her meals.
What do each of these individuals have in common: First, an 18-year-old suddenly develops wheezing and shortness of breath when visiting his grandmother who happens to have a cat. Second, a 30-year-old woman has colds that “always go into her chest,” causing coughing and difficulty breathing. Lastly, a 60-year-old man develops shortness of breath with only slight exertion even though he has never smoked. The answer is that they all have asthma. These are some of the many faces of asthma.
Most researchers believe that the different patterns of asthma are all related to one condition. But some researchers feel that separate forms of lung conditions exist. There is currently no cure for asthma and no single exact cause has been identified. Therefore, understanding the changes that occur in asthma, how it makes you feel, and how it can behave over time is vital. This knowledge can empower people with asthma to take an active role in your own health.
On many occasions, patients have asked me whether exercise will help prevent asthma. This issue is receiving more attention in light of the global increase in the prevalence and severity of asthma and the ongoing efforts to explain this phenomenon. Could a change in lifestyle somehow be responsible for this trend in asthma? Scientists who work in this area have pointed out several childhood developmental and lifestyle differences during the past 40 years.
Let us go back in our minds to the 1960s. It is late afternoon and school is out. Little Johnny and Jane come racing through the back door to find mom greeting them with a glass of milk and a sandwich or an apple. The kids eat their snack and are soon in the neighborhood yard with their friends, playing ball or climbing trees. Now, let us fast forward to the 21st century, where Jason and Jessica let themselves in the house because their parents are not home from work yet. They drop their backpacks on the floor, walk straight to the kitchen, and grab cookies or a bag of potato chips and a soda. They then collapse on the couch, switch on the TV, and vegetate. They may remain there until bedtime, fitting in homework during the commercials. If their favorite programs are not on, some kids settle in front of the computer, surfing the Internet, or playing video games.
Before we present the typical symptoms of asthma, we should dispel some common myths about this condition. This is best achieved by conducting a short true or false quiz.
T or F -- Asthma is “all in the mind.”
T or F -- You will “grow out of it.”
T or F -- Asthma can be cured, so it is not serious and nobody dies from it.
T or F -- You are likely to develop asthma if someone in your family has it.
T or F -- You can “catch” asthma from someone else who has it.
T or F -- Moving to a different location, such as the desert, can cure asthma.
T or F -- Asthma does not require medical treatment.
T or F -- Medications used to treat asthma are habit-forming.
T or F -- Someone with asthma can provoke episodes anytime they want in order to get attention.
Here are the answers:
F -- Asthma is not a psychological condition. However, emotional triggers can cause flare-ups.
F -- You cannot outgrow asthma. In about 50% of children with asthma, the condition may become inactive in the teenage years. The symptoms, however, may reoccur anytime in adulthood.
F -- There is no cure for asthma, but the disease can be controlled in most patients with good medical care. The condition should be taken seriously, since uncontrolled asthma may result in emergency hospitalization and possible death.
T -- You have a 6% chance of having asthma if neither parent has the condition, a 30% chance if one parent has it, and a 70% chance if both parents have it.
F -- Asthma is not contagious.
F -- A new environment may temporarily improve asthma symptoms, but it will not cure asthma. After a few years in the new location, many people become sensitized to the new environment and the asthma symptoms return with the same or even greater intensity than before.
F -- Swimming is an optimal exercise for those with asthma. On the other hand, exercising in dry, cold air may be a trigger for asthma in some people.
F -- Asthma is best controlled by having an asthma management plan designed by your doctor that includes the medications used for quick relief and those used as controllers.
F -- Asthma attacks cannot be faked. In rare cases, there is a psychological condition known by a variety of names (factious asthma, spastic dysphonia, globus hystericus) where emotional issues may cause symptoms that mimic the symptoms of asthma.
On many occasions, patients have asked me whether 