sade082

Originally published at healthcentral.com/copd Research  published in January, 2014 , suggests an inverse relationship with Gross National Income (GNI) and the incidence of COPD. Data from 170 countries showed the incidence of COPD was highest in areas where the GNI was below $15,000. The data seems to confirm a suspected link between COPD and poverty. This information noted, we thought we'd list 10 possible reasons why those in poverty may be at an increased risk for developing COPD, or at an increased risk for having COPD flare-ups.  1.   Tobacco smoke .   CNN reported in 2014  that as smoking rates have declined in more affluent areas, they have stayed relatively unchanged in poor and working class areas.  The report quotes a study showing cigarette companies advertise cheaper cigarettes in such areas. Being that studies overwhelmingly show that cigarette smoking is responsible for about 80 percent of COPD cases, it only makes sense the impoverished woul...

Okay, so I'm a new respiratory therapist and my pager goes off. I look at it and see, "EKG in recovery STAT!" What does this mean? What do I do? I am taught that if something is STAT, that means that immediately or without delay. It means I must drop everything I am doing and rush to the patient. In my mind, it means the patient is in dire straights, and my services are needed immediately to fix the patient. So, I do just that: I stop the breathing treatment I am presently doing, even though my patient is somewhat short of breath. I have to do this because, by my definition of STAT, someone needs me more than this guy. So I rush down to recovery and... ... what I find is a patient who is awake and alert and in no apparent respiratory distress. Okay, he is fine. He is talking. When asked, he says he has no chest pain. And the nurse says, "Yes, the doctor just wanted an EKG before he left the unit, and didn't want to wait." Eh! This is where the respiratory th...