Antibiotics Help COPD Chronic Lung Disease Patients Health Discover
Antibiotics Help COPD, Chronic Lung Disease Patients - Health Discover...
The flare-ups, a symptom of the disease, require medical attention — at least a phone call to a doctor — and each one reduces lung function in patients with the disease.
Patients who have these flare-ups or are on oxygen because of the disease can improve their quality of life by taking the antibiotic, says the study's lead author, Richard Albert, M.D., chief of medicine at Denver Health and Hospital Authority, a nonprofit clinic in Denver. Past research suggests that azithromycin is effective against inflammation, which is linked to flare-ups, as well as bacteria. But studies had mixed results in using antibiotics to reduce flare-ups of COPD. The previous largest study followed only 109 patients, "not large enough to make a definitive decision," Albert says. The new study, he says, is the largest by tenfold. "It's an important finding," says Norman Edelman, M.D., chief medical officer of the American Lung Association, who was not involved in the study. The flare-ups, he explains, make breathing even more difficult for these patients. "Most of us believe that preventing exacerbations will slow progression of the disease," he says. Some of those taking the antibiotics did experience a side effect: mild Although some patients taking the placebo also experienced hearing loss, the hearing problems were more pronounced and more common in those taking the antibiotics. Hearing often improved after patients stopped taking the antibiotic. The study was published in the Aug. 25, 2011, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Also of interest:
Lisa Bertagnoli is a freelance reporter based in Chicago. Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures
Antibiotics Can Help COPD
A common antibiotic helps reduce severity of chronic lung disease
A new study shows that a common antibiotic can help reduce the frequency of flare-ups — severe coughing, wheezing, increased mucus — in patients with For four years researchers in Denver followed more than 1,000 patients with an average age of 65 who had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. The patients had all experienced flare-ups in the previous year or were on oxygen. Half the group got a daily dose of 250 mg of azithromycin (Zithromax). The other half received placebos. Polarized micrograph of antibiotic by Dennis Kunkel Microscopy, Inc./Visuals Unlimited/Corbis. Homepage image by Bob Thomas/Getty Images. Antibiotics may help COPD flare-ups. Researchers measured the time it took for patients to experience an acute flare-up. Those taking the antibiotic went an average of 266 days without a flare-up, while the average for those on the placebo was 174 days. About 12 million Americans have COPD, a lung disease caused by smoking and environmental factors that weaken the lungs and make it difficult to breathe. and are the two main forms.The flare-ups, a symptom of the disease, require medical attention — at least a phone call to a doctor — and each one reduces lung function in patients with the disease.
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Patients who have these flare-ups or are on oxygen because of the disease can improve their quality of life by taking the antibiotic, says the study's lead author, Richard Albert, M.D., chief of medicine at Denver Health and Hospital Authority, a nonprofit clinic in Denver. Past research suggests that azithromycin is effective against inflammation, which is linked to flare-ups, as well as bacteria. But studies had mixed results in using antibiotics to reduce flare-ups of COPD. The previous largest study followed only 109 patients, "not large enough to make a definitive decision," Albert says. The new study, he says, is the largest by tenfold. "It's an important finding," says Norman Edelman, M.D., chief medical officer of the American Lung Association, who was not involved in the study. The flare-ups, he explains, make breathing even more difficult for these patients. "Most of us believe that preventing exacerbations will slow progression of the disease," he says. Some of those taking the antibiotics did experience a side effect: mild Although some patients taking the placebo also experienced hearing loss, the hearing problems were more pronounced and more common in those taking the antibiotics. Hearing often improved after patients stopped taking the antibiotic. The study was published in the Aug. 25, 2011, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Also of interest:
Lisa Bertagnoli is a freelance reporter based in Chicago. Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures