Pneumonologia i alergologia polska
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Pneumonol Alergol Pol · Jan 2010
Review[Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cardiovascular diseases].
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Patients with COPD are at increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis and lung cancer. Although some of the associations between COPD and atherosclerosis may be the result of common risk factors such as smoking, epidemiological evidence suggest that impaired lung function is a risk factor for increased cardiovascular death, independent of tobacco use. ⋯ Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, like atherosclerosis, is a disease of systemic inflammation and may hasten the progression of atherosclerosis and contribute to the higher rate of death in COPD. This article reviews close relationship between COPD and cardiovascular diseases, mainly atherosclerosis. The authors also present some preliminary data suggesting a possible influence of statin therapy on the clinical course of COPD.
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Methemoglobinemia; an increased concentration of methemoglobin in the blood, is an altered state of hemoglobin whereby the ferrous form of iron is oxidized to the ferric state, rendering the heme moiety incapable of carrying oxygen. The authors present a case of 49-year-old man who was admitted to the department of chest medicine with dyspnea, weakness and cyanosis in whom differential diagnosis excluded acute and chronic pulmonary and cardiovascular disease. ⋯ Episode resolved spontaneously. Causes of methemoglobinemia was not established.
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Home mechanical ventilation (HMV) is increasingly used in the treatment of chronic respiratory failure thanks to rapid technological development, increasing number of elderly people and extension of indications. The aim of the study was to assess: prevalence of HMV in Poland, the proportions of lung disease and neuromuscular patients using HMV and the type of interface (invasive v. non-invasive). ⋯ The prevalence of HMV treatment in Poland has developed dramatically in the last decade, but is still very low comparing to other European countries, especially due to very low number of patients with lung and chest wall diseases. The prevalence of invasive mode of ventilation is extremely high. The most important factors which inhibit development of HMV in Poland are: omission of respiratory physicians in the process of qualification, lack of national guidelines, sophisticated demands for HMV providers. The awareness of the need of HMV especially in patients with respiratory failure due to obesity hypoventilation syndrome and restrictive lung diseases should be increased among chest physicians.
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Pneumonol Alergol Pol · Jan 2009
Editorial Comment[Management of COPD by chest physicians in Poland].