Articles: function.
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Stroke is the second-leading cause of death worldwide. OSA is an independent risk factor for stroke and is associated with multiple vascular risk factors. Poststroke OSA is prevalent and closely linked with various stroke subtypes, including cardioembolic stroke and cerebral small vessel disease. Observational studies have shown that untreated poststroke OSA is associated with an increased risk of recurrent stroke, mortality, poorer functional recovery, and longer hospitalizations. ⋯ There is a need for high-quality randomized controlled trials in poststroke OSA that may provide evidence to support the utility of CPAP (and/or other treatment modalities) in reducing recurrent vascular events and mortality. This goal may be achieved by examining treatment strategies that have yet to be trialed in poststroke OSA, tailoring interventions according to poststroke OSA endotypes and phenotypes, selecting high-risk populations, and using metrics that reflect the physiologic abnormalities that underlie the harmful effects of OSA on cardiovascular outcomes.
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Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) is an established treatment modality for the management of advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated by severe emphysema and hyperinflation refractory to other therapies. BLVR aims to reduce hyperinflation and residual volume, thereby improving pulmonary function, symptom control, and quality of life. Multiple distinct devices and technologies, including endobronchial coils, thermal vapor ablation, bio-lung volume reduction, and airway bypass stenting, have been developed to achieve lung volume reduction with varying degrees of accessibility and evidence. ⋯ Additional new technologies may be able to improve the identification and evaluation of candidates as well as increase the portion of evaluated patients who ultimately qualify for BLVR. In this review, we aim to provide historical context to BLVR, summarize the available evidence regarding its use, discuss potential complications, and provide readers with a clear guide to patient selection and referral for BLVR, with a focus on EBV placement. In addition, we will highlight potential future directions for the field.
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The widespread use of marijuana in the context of increasing legalization has both short- and long-term health implications. Although various modes of marijuana use-smoked, vaped, or ingested-may lead to a wide scope of potential systemic effects, we focus here on inhalational use of marijuana as the most common mode with the lung as the organ that is most directly exposed to its effects. Smoked marijuana has been associated with symptoms of chronic bronchitis and histopathologic changes in airway epithelium, but without consistent evidence of long-term decline in pulmonary function. ⋯ However, these potential benefits are counterbalanced by risks including vaping-associated lung injury, potentially more intense drug exposure, and other yet not well-understood toxicities. As more states legalize marijuana and the federal government considers changing this from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance, we anticipate an increase in prospective medical studies concerning the risks related to marijuana use. This review is based on currently available data concerning the impact of inhaled marijuana on lung health.
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Semin Respir Crit Care Med · Oct 2024
ReviewThe Role of Viral Infections in the Development and Progression of COPD.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common chronic disease seen in smokers associated with poor functional status, quality of life, and morbidity and mortality from acute worsening of chronic symptoms, also called exacerbations. As a disease, the risk factors for COPD are well defined; however, there is room for innovation in identifying underlying biological processes, or "endotypes," that lead to the emergence and/or progression of COPD. Identifying endotypes allows for more thorough understanding of the disease, may reveal the means of disease prevention, and may be leveraged in novel therapeutic approaches. In this review, we discuss the interface of viral infections with both cellular and epithelial immunity as a potential endotype of interest in COPD.
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Physician virtues, including humility, are crucial for shaping a physician's identity and practice. The health care literature offers varied views on humility, and the rising call for discussing virtues as a framing for professional identity formation underscores the need for a clearer understanding of physician humility. This review aimed to develop a cohesive conceptualization of physician humility and to define how it functions in medical practice. ⋯ The authors highlight some of the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and sociocontextual challenges to cultivating and practicing physician humility. These findings highlight the importance of promoting humility in shaping physicians' actions, thoughts, and relationships with patients, colleagues, and their profession. Integrating such virtues as humility into medical education is essential for upholding the ideals of the medical profession and cultivating moral agents who engage in self-reflection and embody the principles of exemplary physicians.