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As a patient in a health care setting, you are at risk of getting an infection while you are being treated for something else. Patients and their loved ones can play a role in asking and reminding health care providers to wash their hands. Your hands can spread germs too, so protect yourself by washing your hands often. Hand-washing is one of the most important ways to prevent infections.

Pleural effusion is often referred to as “fluid in the lungs” or “water on the lungs.” It is a buildup of excess pleural fluid in the chest cavity and the outside of the lungs.

Diastolic dysfunction of the left or right ventricle of the heart (main pumping chambers) occurs when the ventricle becomes stiff or relaxes slowly or incompletely. This can happen for a variety of reasons, and results in problems with filling the ventricles with an adequate amount of blood or causing increased back pressure. This usually occurs before there are problems with the pumping function.

Es una buena idea saber que le sucede a usted cuando su asma comienza a empeorarse. De esta manera, puede comenzar su tratamiento enseguida para evitar empeorarse.

Los inhaladores de dosis con medida (MDI) fueron desarrollados en los años 50. Los propulsores usados en el MDI hasta hace poco contenían CFC (clorofluocarbonos). Ud. puede ver cuando reemplaza su MDI que un propulsor diferente es usado en el inhalador. Esto es un HFA Hidrofluoralcano

La tendencia a las alergias puede ser hereditaria. Si usted tiene tendencia a las alergias y está en contacto con ciertas cosas (alérgenos) en su medio ambiente, puede ser que desarrolle alergias a algunas de esas cosas. Ejemplos de síntomas de alergias incluyen picor en los ojos, nariz que gotea, síntomas de asma, eccema y erupciones en la piel. El tiempo de una reacción puede ser inmediato y retardado. Se pueden recomendar estudios de la piel para identificar sus alergias.

Alergias, o reacciones a cosas que no hacen reaccionar a otras personas, pueden ser hereditarias. Usted puede ser alérgico a cosas dentro o fuera de su casa.

El ejercicio es una de las causas más comunes que hace que el asma se empeore. Para algunas personas, el ejercicio puede ser la única causa que el asma se empeore. Con el tratamiento apropiado, el ejercicio no debe ser un problema para la mayoría de las personas. ¡Algunos corredores Olímpicos también tienen Asma!

Los senos paranasales forman parte del sistema respiratorio. Adultos y adolescentes, tienen cuatro grupos de cavidades óseas alrededor de la nariz. Niños muy pequeños tienen pequeños pasajes en lugar de senos paranasales completamente formados. Estos tienen más tendencia a contraer sinusitis debido a que los pasajes paranasales se obstruyen más fácilmente. Para funcionar bien, los senos paranasales necesitan el drenaje adecuado para que la mucosidad pueda salir y, un sistema inmunológico que funcione para combatir las infecciones.

Los medicamentos pueden ser administrados en diferentes maneras. Una de las maneras más comunes para administrar medicamentos para el asma es con un nebulizador. Hay varios tipos de nebulizadores que se pueden usar para administrar diferentes medicamentos.

La Prueba de la Hemoglobina A1c indica al doctor y al paciente el nivel promedio de azúcar en la sangre durante los últimos 3 meses.

Todos podemos caernos, aunque las caídas con lesiones son más comunes en las personas mayores. Diversos factores aumentan el riesgo de una caída.

El nivel bajo de azúcar en sangre es la concentración por debajo de 70. ¡Es importante evitar el nivel bajo de azúcar en sangre! Los términos “azúcar en sangre” y “glucemia” significan lo mismo A la baja también se la conoce como "hipoglucemia".

Cuide sus pies para evitar las amputaciones de dedos, pies y piernas. Las personas con diabetes tienen un mayor riesgo de úlceras e infecciones del pie que pueden dar lugar a amputaciones.

Hypertension is also called high blood pressure. According to the American Heart Association, approximately 85 million people in the United States have high blood pressure. Hypertension and heart disease are common health problems around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that sodium in processed food plays a role in hypertension.

El asma se puede empeorar por causas diversas. Los pulmones de las personas con asma son diferentes aunque éstas se sientan bien. Las causas del asma hacen que las personas con asma se sientan peor de lo normal. Es importante conocer éstas causas, para no enfermarse tanto.

This guide will help you address the most common challenges associated with noninvasive ventilator (NIV) therapy and improve comfort with your treatment.

Infants and children with some lung conditions (bronchiectasis, primary ciliary dyskinesia, cystic fibrosis and other conditions) often produce a large amount of mucus. If the mucus is allowed to collect in the airways, breathing may become difficult, and infection may occur. Airway clearance measures, including chest physiotherapy, help clear the mucus. Chest percussion with huff or deep coughing can help clear the mucus in the lungs. Huff and deep coughing are described in more detail below.

Your provider has recommended allergy puddle skin testing to help identify possible allergens (what you may have an allergic to). These are specific instructions to prepare for puddle skin testing. Please call your provider ahead of time if you have questions regarding additional testing.

Patient education classes are an important part of your experience at National Jewish Health. The classes will give you and your family the information and tools to manage your disease.

Patient education classes are an important part of your experience at National Jewish Health. The classes will give you and your family the information and tools to manage your disease.

View frequently asked questions about COVID-19.

The 2019 Coronavirus, or COVID-19 virus, is an infectious disease similar to the cold. It travels in droplets when you cough and sneeze, and in other body fluids. Personal hygiene is the best prevention.

More information on how to prepare for and get the most out of a telehealth appointment.

Did you know that you need to wear disposable gloves when handling dirty laundry for someone who is or was ill? Here’s what you need to know.

If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 or think you might have it, here’s how to care for yourself and family members.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can reduce the number of germs on the hands, but they do not eliminate all types of germs. Soap and water are more effective than hand sanitizers at removing germs such as Cryptosporidium norovirus and Clostridium difficile.

When you have symptoms of cold, flu, COVID-19 or other infections, wear a facemask to protect others, including health care providers, from catching your illness.

Learn the truth about widespread myths and facts related to the 2019 Coronavirus (also known as 2019-nCoV).

For patients with cancer, taking precautionary steps to avoid illnesses should be a habit. Patients with cancer have lowered immune systems due to treatment or to the cancer itself, so contracting COVID-19 or other illnesses can be dangerous. It is more important than ever before for those with and without cancer to minimize the risk of contracting or spreading illnesses because of the COVID-19 virus.

Living with diabetes has its challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic can cause worry and stress. It’s important to note that being diabetic does not increase your risk of contracting COVID-19. Diabetics do, however, have a harder time fighting off infections like the viral infection caused by COVID-19 if your diabetes is not well-managed.

COVID-19 can affect the upper respiratory system (nose, sinuses and throat) with flu-like symptoms, the lower respiratory system (airways and lungs) by causing cough with or without mucous and difficulty breathing. When COVID-19 is severe it can bring on pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

As a COPD patient, you take daily steps to maintain your health and lung function. The COVID-19 pandemic can cause concern and stress about your ability to stay healthy because you are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19.

For parents, self-quarantine due to COVID-19 means keeping the kids quarantined at home, too. The COVID-19 pandemic has closed or transitioned school online, and extracurricular activities have been paused or cancelled. Keeping kids indoors, away from friends, or motivated to do school work can be a challenge, but there are ways to make quarantine a positive experience.

People who smoke or vape are not yet in the high-risk category to get COVID-19 according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), but, if they get the virus they can expect a more intense infection and more severe symptoms.

With spring setting in and temperatures warming up, allergy season is on the rise. It may be an uncomfortable time for allergy sufferers to be experiencing allergy symptoms as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

The COVID-19 pandemic may be stressful for adults and children. Coping with stress can make you, your loved ones and the community stronger.

Your pulse changes as your body fights and recovers from an illness such as COVID-19.  If you have a fever, your pulse is likely to increase. If your resting heart rate is higher than normal, you may have a fever. Monitoring your heart rate can help you detect symptoms of COVID-19 early.

Fever can be a sign of many viruses, but it is especially important to watch for with COVID-19. 

An easy way to determine if you are developing a fever is to compare your current body temperature to your average body temperature.

Many surfaces and objects around the home and workplace must be regularly disinfected to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Regularly disinfecting surfaces and items with EPA-approved products slows the spread of COVID-19. Be safe.

There’s no denying that we are experiencing increased stress and uncertainty during this time of COVID-19. Children and teens have their own questions and fears and young children may not understand anything that’s happening, but are picking up our stress and reacting to that. Children respond to stress in different ways than adults and it’s important to pay attention to how they are coping.

Areas at altitude, such as mountain towns in Colorado, are beautiful places to live and visit. For those with asthma, COPD or other lung diseases, visiting or living at 8,000 feet or more above sea level can make symptoms of pulmonary conditions worse.

Washing or sanitizing your hands frequently is always a good practice, but even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is one of the best ways to prevent contracting or spreading disease, but it can leave you with dry skin. Dry skin can cause rough, sand-paper-like skin and rashes due to inflammation.

There is no exact treatment for COVID-19. Here are medications that are currently being investigated as potential treatments for COVID-19.

When you have symptoms of cold, flu, COVID-19 (coronavirus) or other viruses and infections, properly wearing a surgical facemask can help protect others from getting sick.

Use this collection of self-care reminders and tips to help you balance home and work demands while facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Symptoms of COVID-19 can appear from two to 14 days after you’ve been exposed to the virus. You can be exposed by droplets from an infected person’s coughs and sneezes and by touching a surface that an infected person has contaminated. Most people will recover within one to two weeks. More severe cases can take six weeks or more to recover.

The COVID-19 pandemic affects each person differently, but a common theme has been its impact on mental health. The pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty, isolation and change. These effects can lead to heightened anxiety, feelings of depression, frustration, anger and more.

National Jewish Health is offering COVID-19 testing to our patients who have a physician’s referral. Patients can receive a referral from their non-National Jewish Health doctor or through a visit at National Jewish Health.