This Giving Tuesday, we have a special episode of the ATS Breathe Easy podcast. Wildfires are a destructive phenomenon that decimates communities, infrastructure, and wildlife. But wildfires and wildfire smoke are also severely damaging to human health, especially for those who have lung disease. Stacie Reveles, of the Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute, talks about her struggles living in wildfire country with a child who has cystic fibrosis. She discusses everything from dealing with medications and evacuations, the mental toll, and the importance of continued research into these illnesses. Air Health Our Health podcast creator Erika Moseson, MD, MA, of Legacy Health in Oregon hosts.
Donate to the ATS Research Program today to help families like Stacie's: https://aeugmntn.donorsupport.co/page/Stacie
The ATS Wildfire Disaster Guidance sheet: https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/wildfires.pdf
Listen to the Our Health in Wildfire Season episode of Air Health Our Health for how to prepare your home and community: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/airhealthourhealth/episodes/Our-Health-in-Wildfire-Season-e162en9/a-a2ata11
Smoking is the main risk factor for COPD in the United States and many other countries. However, it is important to recall that there are other causes of COPD, from birth experiences to environmental exposures. COPD expert Meilan K. Han MD, MS, University of Michigan Health, discusses non-smoking causes of COPD, what patients can do to manage their symptoms, and how clinicians and communities can help. Air Health Our Health podcast creator Erika Moseson, MD, MA, of Legacy Health in Oregon hosts.
Patient resources:
- ATS COPD resources: https://site.thoracic.org/patient-resources/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd
- GOLD COPD resources: https://goldcopd.org/patients-advocacy-groups/
- American Lung Association COPD resources: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/copd/resource-library
- UpToDate COPD resources: https://www.uptodate.com/contents/stable-copd-overview-of-management
As new studies uncover better treatments and practices, it is important to develop new clinical practice guidelines to ensure patients receive the best care. Julio A. Ramirez, MD, Norton Healthcare and University of Louisville, and co-lead of the guideline panel, dives into the process of creating an update clinical practice guideline for community-acquired pneumonia with host Eddie Qian, MD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, as well as the importance to the medical community and patients when making key care decisions.
Check out the Community-Acquired Pneumonia Clinical Practice Guideline: https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.202507-1692ST