Volume 1, Issue 5

Pulmonary Hypertension (PH)

Pulmonary (lung) hypertension (high blood pressure) is a rare disease striking women more often than men.  The average age of diagnosis is 45 years old.  This disease causes the blood vessels in the lungs to become hardened and narrow.  The right side of the heart then works hard to pump blood through the lungs.  Blood can return to the heart from the lungs without picking up oxygen needed for the body to work properly.

Symptoms:  shortness of breath, especially with exercise, dizziness, fainting, cough, ankle or leg swelling are the most common symptoms.

Diagnosis:  It may take several tests to diagnose PH, including chest X-rays, echocardiogram, CT scan or lung scan.  The pressure in the vessels of the lungs can be measured by cardiac catheterization.

Treatment:  At one time the only treatment available was oxygen.  In the past decade new drugs have been developed to reduce the blood pressure in the lungs.  This has helped some people to live longer.  Lung transplant is also an option in some cases.

It's Flu Shot Time

Past research has shown the many benefits of treating sleep apnea with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in middle-aged people with obstructive sleep apnea.

A British study published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine, involving people aged 65 and older, has shown that CPAP is an effective treatment in the elderly as well.  The researchers are hopeful that CPAP can also be used to treat or prevent cognitive decline (slower or poor thinking) in the elderly.

The symptoms of sleep apnea in the elderly are slightly different and include:  frequent trips to the bathroom, poor or slow thinking, and atrial fibrillation. The elderly with sleep apnea are not as likely to snore, and often do not have a bed partner to help identify sleeping problems.

Influenza (flu) is a serious illness, especially for people with lung disease, the very young and the elderly.  Each year Canadians are encouraged to protect themselves and their loved ones by getting a flu shot.  Immunization clinics usually begin by mid-October.  Use this interactive map to search your health region web site for clinic locations.

This year’s flu shot will provide protection against the H1N1 strain of flu virus, along with two other strains.  People who are immunized may still get the flu, but it will be a milder version, without the serious complications that required a hospital stay.

You can check the flu activity in Canada by visiting the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Flu Watch page.

Learn More About Asthma

With funding from the John Cameron Moorhead Foundation, The Lung Association of Saskatchewan is partnering with the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation to jointly fund asthma research.   John Moorhead was a farmer in the Milestone district who had asthma and left a large bequest to fund asthma research in 1975. A further bequest to increase the research funding available was later made by his sister, Ruth Moorhead in 1991. For almost 40 years, this funding has been used for asthma research in Saskatchewan.  

Read more

This video features certified respiratory educators from The Lung Association of Saskatchewan sharing valuable lung health information and demonstrating an important breathing test called spirometry which can assist in the diagnosis of asthma. You will also hear a mother’s perspective on having children with asthma, and how you can be an advocate for them and raise asthma awareness in your own community.

Watch the Video

Thank you

From June 1 – 7, thousands of dedicated volunteer canvassers hit the streets in communities across Saskatchewan including: Saskatoon, Prince Albert, North Battleford, Regina, Southey, Lumsden, Pilot Butte, Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Yorkton, and Estevan to give people an opportunity to support our programs and services in the area of asthma and allergies.

We would like to express our appreciation to our volunteer City Coordinators, Area Captains, Zone Captains, and Canvassers who gave of their time to make this campaign a tremendous success. We also wish to thank the residents across our great province for their generous donations. This year we realized over $100,000 for our residents with asthma and allergies and mail-in donations are still coming in. Thank you so much for making this possible!

Please do not hesitate to contact The Lung Association if we can be of service to you or your family. Our highly qualified, Certified Respiratory Educators are available during regular business hours from 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM Monday to Friday to assist you.

Thank you again for your support!

Classified Ads

• Respironics REMstar Auto A-flex M series CPAP machine with humidifier and mask was only used a few times for sale.  Interested?  Call Fern in Saskatoon at 664-2795 or her cell at 222-3894.

• ResMed S9 Auto – Set CPAP machine that was only used for a few months for sale. If you are interested call Louise in Asquith at 306-329-4705.

The Lung Association of Saskatchewan is not responsible for any product purchased through ads in the Breathe Newsletter.

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