Using a computer program to monitor asthma symptoms and adjust treatment can help people with poorly-controlled asthma reduce their symptoms, researchers have found. But the program is less helpful for those whose asthma is already well under control. What do we know already? The aim of treatment for asthma is to stop attacks of asthma symptoms, such as breathlessness or coughing fits. If you get few symptoms, doctors say you have well-controlle ... Jump to full article >>

Britain’s filthy air kills 50,000 people a year – more than obesity, passive smoking or traffic accidents, a damning report by MPs has said. Ministers have been rebuked for failing to tackle the lethal problem, risking millions of pounds in fines for failing to meet EU quality standards. MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee warned that climate-change targets were even exacerbating air pollution. The Government has encouraged people t ... Jump to full article >>

A Suffolk County jury today rejected a Boston woman’s claim that her real estate broker misled her by concealing that a resident in the condominium below the one she bought for $405,000 smoked cigarettes. After deliberating for less than an hour, the 14-member jury sided with the broker, Joseph DeAngelo, and his employer, Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty, over the plaintiff, Alyssa Burrage, according to Jay S. Gregory, the lawye ... Jump to full article >>

Researchers found that of more than 200 6- to 12-year-olds with asthma, those exposed to secondhand smoke tended to have poorer sleep at night and more drowsiness during the day. While the reasons for the connection are uncertain, the researchers say it’s likely that asthmatic children exposed to tobacco smoke have more nighttime breathing problems, which in turn disrupts their sleep. The link between secondhand smoke and sleep problems wa ... Jump to full article >>

Attorneys for Wynn Las Vegas are seeking dismissal of a lawsuit claiming its casino workers are exposed to dangerous second-hand tobacco smoke. In court papers filed Friday, Wynn’s attorneys argued: The suit appears to be part of a union campaign involving Wynn casino dealers. Wynn is in compliance with the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, which specifically allows smoking in casinos. The lawsuit was filed Oct. 20 in federal court in Las Veg ... Jump to full article >>

Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) at work, mainly in the 1970s and 1980s, was associated with a 40% increased risk of developing asthma in young adults, according to new research presented today at The British Thoracic Society Annual Winter Meeting (Friday 4th December). The major study, conducted at Imperial College, London in collaboration with other universities and occupational experts used information on the job history of over ... Jump to full article >>

Four years ago, a lopsided majority of Washington voters approved a ban on smoking in public places. While citizens may have the right to smoke, voters felt that right should not extend to subjecting others to their secondhand smoke. Many in the food and beverage industry, fearing the smoking ban would hurt business, mounted an unsuccessful attempt to defeat the 2005 initiative. A number of tavern and restaurant owners in this and other states w ... Jump to full article >>

Smoking during pregancy increases the risk of a baby developing asthma up to sixfold, said a Swedish study published at the European Respiratory Society’s annual congress on Monday. The study by Professeur Anders Bjerg of the Sunderby central hospital in Norrbotten and his specialists showed that smoking leads to babies being born underweight, a fact that has an impact on the development of asthma. The Swedish doctors studied asthma in abo ... Jump to full article >>

Dr. Thomas Farley’s new three-year plan aims to cut in rates of smoking, drinking of sugary sodas, hospitalizations while urging outer borough residents to exercise more. New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley on Monday outlined a ten-step program and specific health goals the city hopes to reach in the next three years, part of a new public health agenda known as Take Care New York 2012. The city’s top doctor unveiled ... Jump to full article >>