We need oxygen to survive. Sometimes the amount of oxygen in the blood falls too low for the body to function well. Asthma, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the flu, and heart disease are among the health conditions that can cause oxygen levels to drop. Being at higher altitudes, where the amount of oxygen in the air can be less than at sea level, can be another factor that can cause oxygen levels to drop.

One way to monitor the level of oxygen in the blood is by using a device called a pulse oximeter, or pulse ox.  A pulse oximeter can estimate the amount of oxygen in the blood without having to draw a blood sample.

What is a pulse oximeter?

A pulse oximeter is a device that is usually clipped on a fingertip and uses light beams to estimate a person’s blood oxygen level (oxygen saturation) and their pulse rate.

Most pulse oximeters show two or three numbers. The most important number, oxygen saturation level, is usually abbreviated SpO2, and is presented as a percentage. The pulse rate (similar to heart rate) is typically abbreviated PR. Sometimes there is a third number for strength of the signal.

Oxygen saturation values are between 95% and 100% for most healthy individuals but sometimes can be lower in people with lung and heart problems, for example. Oxygen saturation levels are also generally slightly lower for those living at higher altitudes.

Using a pulse oximeter

If you are using a pulse oximeter to monitor your oxygen levels at home, in addition to your pulse oximeter reading, keep track of your symptoms and how you feel. Contact a health care provider if you are concerned about the pulse oximeter reading, or your symptoms are serious or get worse.

To get the best reading when using a pulse oximeter at home:

• Follow your health care provider’s advice about when and how often to check your oxygen levels.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use.
• When placing the pulse oximeter on your finger, make sure your hand is warm, relaxed, and held below the level of the heart. Remove any fingernail polish on that finger.
• Sit still and do not move the part of your body where the pulse oximeter is located.
• Wait a few seconds until the reading stops changing and displays one steady number.
• Write down your oxygen level and the date and time of the reading so you can track any changes and report these to your health care provider.

Be familiar with signs or symptoms of low oxygen levels:

• Bluish coloring in the face, lips, or nails.
• Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or a cough that gets worse.
• Restlessness and discomfort.
• Chest pain or tightness.
• Fast/racing pulse rate.

Be aware that some people with low oxygen levels may not show any or all these symptoms. Only a health care provider can diagnose a medical condition such as hypoxia (low oxygen levels). Pulse oximeter readings should be considered in context with other information, including signs and symptoms of low oxygen.

As with any device, there is always a risk of an inaccurate reading. Be aware multiple factors can affect the accuracy of a pulse oximeter reading, such as poor circulation, skin pigmentation, skin thickness, skin temperature, current tobacco use, and use of fingernail polish.

Categories of pulse oximeters and FDA clearance

Certain pulse oximeters are intended for medical purposes and are primarily used in hospital settings or doctors’ offices. Pulse oximeters for medical purposes are typically used to monitor (i.e. trending or spot checking) oxygen saturation levels of patients to help in clinical decision-making.

Currently, a small number of these pulse oximeters intended for medical purposes are available over the counter (OTC) following clearance by the FDA.

There also are pulse oximeters that are sold as general wellness products or sporting/aviation products. These are not reviewed or evaluated by the agency before being available to the public. Such products are often sold directly to consumers in stores or online and are intended for estimating oxygen saturation often for purposes of general wellness (such as encouraging a general state of health or healthy lifestyle).

The FDA recognizes that during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people purchased OTC pulse oximeters that are considered general wellness products. These products are not evaluated by the agency for use in clinical decision-making or determining whether to seek medical intervention.

Current scientific evidence suggests there are some accuracy differences in pulse oximeter performance between individuals with lighter and darker skin pigmentation. The FDA previously informed patients and health care professionals that although pulse oximetry is useful for estimating blood oxygen levels, pulse oximeters have limitations and a risk of inaccuracy under certain circumstances, including use on patients with darker skin pigmentation, that should be considered.

In addition to the safety communication, to address concerns around the accuracy of these devices, the FDA held advisory committee meetings, published a discussion paper for comment, and published a draft guidance in January 2025 that outlines proposed recommendations to help improve the accuracy and performance of pulse oximeters that are used for medical purposes across the range of skin pigmentations.

Reporting Problems with a Device

If you experienced a problem or injury that you think may be related to a pulse oximeter, you can voluntarily report it through the FDA’s MedWatch program.

WashU Medicine researcher Kanta Horie, PhD, places a sample in a mass spectrometer that measures protein levels in blood plasma and other fluids. Horie co-led the development of a blood test for Alzheimer’s disease that diagnoses and stages the disease by using mass spectrometry to measure the level of a protein called MTBR-tau243.

BYLINE: Tamara Schneider

Newswise — A newly developed blood test for Alzheimer’s disease not only aids in the diagnosis of the neurodegenerative condition but also indicates how far it has progressed, according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Lund University in Sweden.

Several blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease are already clinically available, including two based on technology licensed from WashU. Such tests help doctors diagnose the disease in people with cognitive symptoms, but do not indicate the clinical stage of the disease symptoms – that is, the degree of impairment in thinking or memory due to Alzheimer’s dementia. Current Alzheimer’s therapies are most effective in early stages of the disease, so having a relatively easy and reliable way to gauge how far the disease has progressed could help doctors determine which patients are likely to benefit from drug treatment and to what extent. The new test can also provide insight on whether a person’s symptoms are likely due to Alzheimer’s versus some other cause.

The study is published March 31 in Nature Medicine.

In the study, the researchers found that levels of a protein called MTBR-tau243 in the blood accurately reflect the amount of toxic accumulation of tau aggregates in the brain and correlate with the severity of Alzheimer’s disease. Analyzing blood levels of MTBR-tau243 from a group of people with cognitive decline, the researchers were able to distinguish between people with early- or later-stage Alzheimer’s disease and separate both groups of Alzheimer’s patients from people whose symptoms were caused by something other than Alzheimer’s disease.

“This blood test clearly identifies Alzheimer’s tau tangles, which is our best biomarker measure of Alzheimer’s symptoms and dementia,” said co-senior author Randall J. Bateman, MD, the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Distinguished Professor of Neurology at WashU Medicine. “In clinical practice right now, we don’t have easy or accessible measures of Alzheimer’s tangles and dementia, and so a tangle blood test like this can provide a much better indication if the symptoms are due to Alzheimer’s and may also help doctors decide which treatments are best for their patients.”

Tracking Alzheimer’s disease progression from blood

Alzheimer’s disease involves a build-up of a protein, called amyloid, into plaques in the brain, followed by the development of tangles of tau protein years later. Cognitive symptoms emerge around the time tau tangles become detectable, and symptoms worsen as the tangles spread. The gold standard for staging Alzheimer’s disease is positron emission tomography (PET) brain scans for amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Amyloid scans yield information about the presymptomatic and early symptomatic stages, while tau scans are useful for tracking later stages of the disease. PET brain scans are highly accurate but expensive, time-consuming and frequently unavailable outside of major research centers, so they are not widely used.

Bateman leads a team that is developing blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease as a more accessible alternative to brain scans. They have developed two blood tests that correlate closely with the amount of amyloid plaques in the brain. Both are now used by doctors to aid diagnosis. But until now, there has been no blood test that reports on tau levels in the brain.

In a previous study, Bateman and colleagues — including co-first authors Kanta Horie, PhD, a research associate professor of neurology at WashU Medicine, and Gemma Salvadó, PhD, then a postdoctoral researcher at Lund University, and co-senior author Oskar Hansson, MD, PhD, a professor of neurology at Lund University — showed that cerebrospinal fluid levels of MTBR-tau243 correlate closely with tau tangles in the brain. In the current study, the team extended the analysis to blood. A blood sample is easier to collect than cerebrospinal fluid, which is obtained via spinal tap.

The researchers developed a technique to measure MTBR-tau243 levels in people’s blood and compared it to the amount of tau tangles in their brains as measured by brain scans.  They piloted the approach on data from two cohorts: volunteers at WashU Medicine’s Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, which included 108 people, and a subset of 55 people from the Swedish BioFINDER-2 cohort. To assess whether the approach was generalizable, they validated it in an independent dataset consisting of the remaining 739 people in the BioFINDER-2 cohort.

The people in the two cohorts represented all but the most severe end of the spectrum of Alzheimer’s disease, from the presymptomatic stage when brain amyloid levels are elevated but people remain cognitively healthy, through early-stage disease with mild cognitive impairments, to late symptomatic disease when patients exhibit full-blown dementia. For comparison, cognitively healthy people with normal amyloid levels, and people with cognitive symptoms due to conditions other than Alzheimer’s disease, were included.

The researchers’ analysis showed that blood MTBR-tau243 levels reflected the amount of tau tangles in the brain with 92% accuracy. MTBR-tau243 levels in the blood were normal in asymptomatic people regardless of amyloid status, meaning that blood MTBR-tau243 levels do not change between healthy people and people in the presymptomatic stage of Alzheimer’s disease with amyloid plaques.

Among people with cognitive symptoms due to Alzheimer’s disease, MTBR-tau243 levels were significantly elevated for people in the mild cognitive impairment phase of Alzheimer’s disease and much higher — up to 200 times — for those in the dementia phase. Those differences translated into clear separation of people in early- and late-stage Alzheimer’s disease. At the same time, MTBR-tau243 levels were normal in people with cognitive symptoms due to diseases other than Alzheimer’s, meaning that the test effectively distinguished Alzheimer’s dementia from other kinds of dementia.

The technology underlying the blood test for tau aggregates has been licensed by WashU to C2N Diagnostics, a WashU startup that developed the blood tests for amyloid. These amyloid tests incorporate measures of another form of tau called p-tau217.

“I believe we will use blood-based p-tau217 to determine whether an individual has Alzheimer’s disease, but MTBR-tau243 will be a highly valuable complement in both clinical settings and research trials,” said Hansson. “When both of these biomarkers are positive, the likelihood that Alzheimer’s is the underlying cause of a person’s cognitive symptoms increases significantly, compared to when only p-tau217 is abnormal. This distinction is crucial for selecting the most appropriate treatment for each patient.”

Blood tests could inform personalized Alzheimer’s treatment

Two Alzheimer’s therapies have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to slow progression of the disease, and both work by lowering amyloid levels in the brain. Horie said the number and variety of available Alzheimer’s medications may soon be expanding, as several experimental drugs that target tau or other aspects of Alzheimer’s disease are in the pipeline. With blood tests to diagnose and stage the disease, doctors would be able to tailor treatments to the patient’s particular disease state.

“We’re about to enter the era of personalized medicine for Alzheimer’s disease,” Horie said. “For early stages with low tau tangles, anti-amyloid therapies could be more efficacious than in late stages. But after the onset of dementia with high tau tangles, anti-tau therapy or one of the many other experimental approaches may be more effective. Once we have a clinically available blood test for staging, plus treatments that work at different stages of the disease, doctors will be able to optimize their treatment plans for the specific needs of each patient.”

Horie K, Salvadó G, Koppisetti RK, Janelidze S, Barthélemy NR, He Y, Sato C, Gordon BA, Jiang H, Benzinger TLS, Erik Stomrud E, Holtzman DM, Mattsson-Carlgren N, Morris JC, Palmqvist S, Ossenkoppele R, Schindler SE, Hansson O, Bateman RJ. Plasma MTBR-tau243 identifies tau tangle pathology in Alzheimer’s disease. Nature Medicine. March 31, 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41591-025-03617-7.

This work was supported by the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center; the Tracy Family SILQ Center; the National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant number R01AG070941; the Alzheimer’s Association’s Zenith Award; the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders; and the Department of Neurology at WashU Medicine. The Swedish BioFINDER-2 study was supported by the U.S. National Institute on Aging, grant number R01AG083740, the European Research Council, grant number ADG-101096455; the Alzheimer’s Association, grant numbers ZEN24-1069572 and SG-23-1061717; the GHR Foundation; the Swedish Research Council, grant numbers 2022-00775, 2021-02219, and 2018-02052; ERA PerMed, grant number ERAPERMED2021-184; the Knut and Alice Wallenberg foundation, grant number 2022-0231; the Strategic Research Area MultiPark (Multidisciplinary Research in Parkinson’s disease) at Lund University; the Swedish Alzheimer Foundation, grant numbers AF-980907, AF-994229, and AF-994075; the Swedish Brain Foundation, grant numbers FO2021-0293, FO2023-0163 and FO2022-0204; the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP) and the SciLifeLab and Wallenberg National Program for Data-Driven Life Science (DDLS) joint call for research projects, grant number WASP/DDLS22-066; the Parkinson foundation of Sweden, grant number 1412/22; the Cure Alzheimer’s fund; the Rönström Family Foundation; the Konung Gustaf V:s och Drottning Victorias Frimurarestiftelse; the Skåne University Hospital Foundation, grant number 2020-O000028; the Regionalt Forskningsstöd, grant number 2022-1259; and the Swedish federal government under the ALF agreement, grant numbers 2022-Projekt0080 and 2022-Projekt0107. Gemma Salvadó received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under Marie Sklodowska-Curie action grant agreement number 101061836; the Alzheimer’s Association, fellowship number AARF-22-972612; the Alzheimerfonden, grant number AF-980942; BrightFocus Foundation, fellowship number A2024007F; Greta och Johan Kocks; and the Strategic Research Area MultiPark (Multidisciplinary Research in Parkinson’s Disease) at Lund University.

The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

About Washington University School of Medicine

WashU Medicine is a global leader in academic medicine, including biomedical research, patient care and educational programs with 2,900 faculty. Its National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding portfolio is the second largest among U.S. medical schools and has grown 56% in the last seven years. Together with institutional investment, WashU Medicine commits well over $1 billion annually to basic and clinical research innovation and training. Its faculty practice is consistently within the top five in the country, with more than 1,900 faculty physicians practicing at 130 locations and who are also the medical staffs of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals of BJC HealthCare. WashU Medicine has a storied history in MD/PhD training, recently dedicated $100 million to scholarships and curriculum renewal for its medical students, and is home to top-notch training programs in every medical subspecialty as well as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and audiology and communications sciences.

 

by Penn State Health

Newswise — Does your partner keep leaving for the guest bedroom because of your thunderous snoring? Don’t call the divorce lawyer. Instead, consider calling your doctor.

Dr. Daron Kahn, a pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist at Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center, says you could be suffering from sleep apnea, a serious but treatable condition.

Sleep Apnea Awareness Month in March is the perfect time to learn about this often-overlooked disorder. Sleep apnea affects approximately 30 million Americans, yet only 6 million are diagnosed. That means millions are suffering needlessly.

“A lot of people come in with their bed partner, who reports loud snoring or pauses in breathing,” explains Kahn. “Others say they never feel refreshed. They sleep all night and wake up still tired.”

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea occurs when breathing repeatedly stops during sleep, for 10 to 30 seconds or more at a time. These pauses can happen multiple times per hour, sometimes over 100 times per night in severe cases. With obstructive sleep apnea, the most common type, throat muscles relax and block the airway.

“When you fall asleep, your airway relaxes,” Kahn explains. “It can narrow to restrict airflow or close and collapse, obstructing airflow.”

Sleep specialists measure severity using the apnea-hypopnea index, which counts breathing disruptions per hour. Disruptions between five to 15 are classified as mild, 15 to 30 as moderate and anything above 30 as severe.

Are you at risk?

Weight is the biggest risk factor for sleep apnea, though anatomy and genetics can play a part. “Extra fat tissue can be hidden anywhere in the body, including the back of the throat,” says Kahn. “That can make that space narrow enough to close.”

Along with snoring, breathing pauses and persistent tiredness, other common symptoms include:

• Gasping or choking during sleep
• Teeth grinding
• Morning headaches
• Difficulty staying asleep
• Depression, irritability and trouble concentrating

Symptoms don’t always correlate with severity. “We see people with mild sleep apnea who have horrible daytime sleepiness and people with severe sleep apnea who feel fine,” Kahn says.

What are the health effects?

Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems.

“The biggest health concern is cardiovascular disease,” warns Kahn. “It also increases your risk for hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke.”

That’s because when breathing stops, oxygen levels drop. “Your lungs can’t put oxygen into the blood, so your organs can suffer tissue damage,” he explains.

Sleep apnea can also trigger an inflammatory surge throughout your body, which can lead to:

• Increased risk of type 2 diabetes
• Worsening of chronic pain syndromes
• Eye diseases, including retina problems and glaucoma
• Weight loss resistance
• Atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat)

How is it diagnosed?

Diagnosis involves a sleep study, which can be performed in a lab or at home.

“The gold standard is an in-lab sleep study where we monitor your brain activity, breathing and movements overnight,” says Kahn. “For people without significant comorbidities, home sleep studies work just as well. They monitor chest movement, blood oxygen levels and airflow.”

How is it treated?

If a sleep study shows you have sleep apnea, healthy lifestyle changes can be effective. These include:

• Regular physical activity
• Losing weight
• Limiting alcohol and caffeine
• Quitting smoking
• Sleeping on your side instead of your back

There are several types of PAP (Positive Airway Pressure) devices:

• CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure): Delivers positive pressure through a mask to keep the airway open.
• Auto-PAP (Auto-Adjusting Positive Airway Pressure): Adapts to individual needs and adjusts pressure levels throughout the night.
• BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure): Delivers two levels of pressurized air, one on inhale and one on exhale. Kahn says it works for those who can’t tolerate a CPAP, and for those with central sleep apnea, where the airways are open, but the brain and lungs aren’t communicating correctly.

Other treatments include:

Oral appliance therapy: “These custom-made dental devices look like retainers that push the bottom jaw forward, creating space in the back of the throat,” says Kahn. These work best for mild to moderate sleep apnea.

Inspire therapy: This implantable device functions like a pacemaker for the tongue. “With each breath while you’re asleep, it sends a signal to the tongue muscle to push forward and open the airway,” Kahn explains.

Surgical options: Surgical procedures can address anatomical causes of obstruction.

When should you seek help?

Kahn says he often sees patients with hypertension or atrial fibrillation.

He recommends evaluation for anyone suffering with:

• Loud, persistent snoring
• Breathing pauses during sleep
• Daytime fatigue despite adequate sleep
• Difficulty controlling blood pressure or heart problems

Treatment can be life-changing, Kahn stresses: “We’ve had people who couldn’t get through their workday without naps and needed 12 cups of coffee daily. After CPAP, no more naps, less coffee and improved heart function.”

Related content:

• Sleep apnea increases risk of sudden death, cardiovascular conditions
• The Medical Minute: Why am I always so tired?

The Medical Minute is a weekly health news feature produced by Penn State Health. Articles feature the expertise of faculty, physicians and staff, and are designed to offer timely, relevant health information of interest to a broad audience.

by Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

Newswise — MIAMI, FLORIDA – Since 2021, when lung cancer screening guidelines began to include younger people and those with a lower smoking history, the number of screenings climbed, but significant gaps remain, especially among people with limited access to healthcare, according to a new study led by researchers at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

“The updated guidelines substantially increased lung cancer screenings overall, even as cancer screenings declined during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Tracy E. Crane, Ph.D., R.D.N., associate professor and co-leader of the Cancer Control Research Program at Sylvester. “However, discrepancies for who is screened persist, underscoring the importance of addressing structural barriers in rural and underserved populations.” Crane is senior author of the study, published in the March 20 issue of JAMA Oncology.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States for both men and women, and screenings can save lives by finding cancer early and making treatment more effective. Low-dose computed tomography (CT) is a relatively new screening tool for early-stage lung cancer.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued its first lung cancer screening guidelines in 2013. These screens are quick and painless. In 2021, the USPSTF updated the guidelines to start screening at 50 instead of 55 and to include those with a lower smoking history (20 or more pack-years instead of 30 or more). A pack-year is calculated by multiplying the number of years an individual smoked by the number of packs smoked per day.

First author LaShae D. Rolle, M.P.H., C.PH., a Sylvester doctoral research fellow, used data on health-related risks and behaviors from a nationally representative CDC survey. The dataset is large, but habits and risks are self-reported. Participants may underestimate how much they’ve smoked or be ashamed to report their habits accurately.

Rolle found that, of the people classified as high-risk before the guidelines changed, only 15.43% were up to date on their lung cancer screenings. The year after the guidelines changed, this jumped to 47.08% of those eligible were up to date — better, but still less than half. The numbers were lower in uninsured patients, those without a primary care provider, and those who live in rural areas.

Many Barriers to Care

Because patients without a primary care provider were much less likely to get screened, one barrier may be the requirement for a referral. In other cases, the barrier may be knowledge — these patients may not even know they’re eligible for screening.

Other barriers include the cost of care. Rolle found that health insurance pays for 97% of lung cancer screenings. Without insurance, a scan can cost hundreds of dollars, in addition to paying for a doctor’s visit to obtain a referral.

There are often options to access free or low-cost scans. Many states and nonprofits have programs to defer costs and increase access.

“But screening is not a one-time deal. Patients should get a scan annually, and results may require additional testing,” study author Coral Olazagasti, M.D., a Sylvester assistant professor of clinical medical oncology, said. “The costs come not only from the scan but the follow-up.”

“A person may say — I don’t have the money; I don’t have insurance. But, no one thinks they have cancer,” Rolle said. “I am a cancer survivor myself. I was diagnosed at 26. I understand how easy it is to brush off a screening, especially among those choosing between having food or getting screened.”

In rural areas, screening facilities may be hundreds of miles apart, making travel a barrier for many. Mobile lung cancer screening units can bring access to rural areas but cost up to $2 million.

Ways to Close the Gap

At Sylvester, community outreach teams work to close the disparities in lung cancer screenings.

“We have been identifying the places in our catchment area where the highest-risk patients are not getting screened. We then head over in the Game Changer Bus and educate and counsel the public on lung cancer screenings,” said study author Estelamari Rodriguez, M.D., M.P.H., Sylvester’s associate director of community outreach for thoracic oncology.

Other ways to increase screening rates among minority populations include patient navigators who can help educate patients, schedule their scans and arrange transportation.

“Partnering with local community organizations, churches and health workers has proven effective in promoting lung cancer screening,” study author Gilberto Lopes, M.D., Sylvester’s chief of the division of medical oncology, said. “Trusted local figures can help overcome mistrust and fear while providing culturally tailored education.”

The gaps in access to lung cancer screening are personal to Rolle. “I was lucky enough to catch my breast cancer early, and now I’m cancer-free. I would love for others to get screened so they can also catch cancer early, too,” she said.

# # #

Authors: A complete list of authors is available in the paper.

Article Title: USPSTF Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines and Disparities in Screening Adherence

DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.0230

Disclosures: Conflict of interest disclosures are available in the article.

# # #

Journal Link: JAMA Oncology

Request an Expert

Driven by changes in care delivery methods and technology developments, the healthcare scene is changing profoundly. Value-based care, telemedicine, customized medicine, artificial intelligence, and telemedicine alter patient interaction with healthcare providers and treatment received. These advancements improve accessibility and efficiency and encourage a more customized health management method. The possibility for better patient outcomes and a more sustainable healthcare system becomes more realistic as various technologies integrate. These innovations will open the path for a day when quality and personalization rule in medical treatment.

Rise of telemedicine

The need for strong support services becomes clear as telemedicine is embraced by healthcare systems more and more. Although virtual consultations are changing patient care by letting people access services from the comfort of their homes and lowering both travel needs and waiting times, the sustainability of this change depends much on the recruitment and management of trained healthcare professionals. Platforms such as mascmedical.com are helpful since they offer vital physician recruiting services that guarantee medical facilities are manned with the knowledge required to satisfy increasing patient needs. This combined strategy raises patient happiness by providing better access to quality care. It provides essential services to rural and underprivileged areas, enabling future developments as technology and healthcare delivery change.

Personalized medicine and genomics

Developments in genetic research are opening the path for customized treatment strategies that fit certain patient profiles. Through genetic makeup analysis, medical professionals can spot certain hazards and create focused treatments, improving efficacy while reducing negative effects. This strategy enhances the results for patients with complicated diseases and encourages a proactive attitude toward disease avoidance. The possibility of including genomics in standard healthcare procedures will grow as data-collecting and processing methods improve, resulting in more exact and effective medical interventions.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning in healthcare

Modern algorithms’ integration transforms data analysis and decision-making processes among medical professionals. Artificial intelligence and machine learning let practitioners find patient data trends for more precise therapy and early diagnosis. By automating administrative tasks and optimizing processes, these technologies increase operational efficiency and free medical staff members to concentrate on patient care. As artificial intelligence develops, tailored therapeutic plans and predictive analytics should help enhance patient outcomes and allocate healthcare resources.

Value-based care and population health management

Healthcare delivery models are changing as one prioritizes patient outcomes over the volume of services rendered. Value-based care motivates providers to raise the quality of treatment while lowering costs and promoting a more sustainable healthcare system. Managing the health of whole populations depends on preventative actions and coordinated treatment, so this strategy stresses these areas. Identifying at-risk groups and customizing treatments depend on data analytics, resulting in better health outcomes and increased patient satisfaction. As healthcare systems use this strategy, comprehensive and proactive treatment could become the standard.

Conclusion

Value-based care, personalized medicine, telemedicine, and artificial intelligence are transforming healthcare and supporting patient-centered care, stressing access, efficiency, and customization. These developments seek to meet population demands, particularly those of the impoverished, and enhance therapy as they grow. The healthcare system is headed toward a more sustainable and efficient model that treats diseases and stresses preventive and general well-being by including modern technologies and holistic health outcomes. This change might greatly enhance patient experiences and outcomes, altering how healthcare is delivered going forward.

Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day is February 22

Washington, DC (February 12, 2025) – February is American Heart Month, a time to raise awareness of heart conditions and heart healthy lifestyles. Led by the Alliance for Aging Research, on February 22, organizations, advocates, and individuals across the globe will mark Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day by joining together to increase recognition about the risks of heart valve disease and improve detection and treatment access to ultimately save lives.  

“Age is the biggest risk factor for heart valve disease so it’s important for those over 65 especially to get their heart listened to by a medical professional who can detect a murmur and order additional tests, if necessary,” says Dr. John Whyte, Chief Medical Officer for WebMD and a Board Member for the Alliance for Aging Research.

Heart valve disease occurs when one or more of the heart’s four valves is defective or damaged, interrupting blood flow and often causing serious complications, including death. More than 11 million Americans have heart valve disease. More than 25,000 deaths are attributed to valve disease in the U.S. each year. 

Symptoms can include lightheadedness or fainting, irregular or fluttering heart or chest pain, tiredness, edema, and feeling off in general or missing out on daily activities. Heart murmurs—or irregular heart sounds that are common with valve disease—can usually be detected through a simple stethoscope check. If a murmur is detected, additional tests such as an EKG, ECG, chest X-ray, or MRI can diagnose valve disease. 

One in 10 people age 75 and older are estimated to have moderate or severe heart valve disease, making age the greatest risk factor. Other cardiovascular diseases and conditions such as previous heart attack, hypertension, and high cholesterol, diabetes, treatments for certain types of cancer, congenital abnormalities increase risk.

“People in communities of color tend to develop heart valve disease at a younger age and should be screened sooner due to this higher risk,” says Dr. Whyte.

To learn more about heart valve disease or how to get involved in educating others, visit www.ValveDiseaseDay.org.

About the Alliance for Aging Research 

Since 1986, the Alliance for Aging Research has served as a trusted source of health information for both consumers and health care professionals on diseases and conditions that disproportionately affect older adults and has led numerous successful advocacy campaigns promoting the health and independence of older adults. Recognizing the seriousness of heart valve disease, and the fact that disease symptoms are often difficult to detect or dismissed as a normal part of aging, the Alliance is leading this effort to raise awareness through Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day. Learn more about the Alliance at www.agingresearch.org. 

You might have noticed that every third person is struggling to get quality sleep. This has become a worldwide problem with the advancement. No doubt, there are many reasons behind it. But out of all, the most important one is the choice of our food before going to bed.

Yes – this thing truly matters. You should understand that the last meal of the day directly affects your sleep. So, why not take care of it?

That’s why we have decided to talk about this topic. Stay tuned and keep reading to find out many amazing tips here. All of these will help you to improve your sleep. All with the help of a vegan diet.

How Diet Affects Your Sleep?

There are many essential nutrients in your diet. All of them are considered very great to help you regulate your sleep cycle. 

Meanwhile, processed foods, caffeine, and sugar are also not good for you. So, it’s time to avoid them as they keep you tossing and turning.

Moreover, you should know that a whole-food plant-based diet can naturally improve sleep. This is all by reducing inflammation, balancing hormones, and calming your nervous system.

Focus on Magnesium-Rich Foods

Magnesium is nature’s muscle relaxant. It helps calm your nervous system and promotes deep, restful sleep.

In fact, studies show that magnesium deficiency is linked to insomnia. Therefore, it is said that you should take care of this for better sleep. 

Here are some magnesium-rich plant-based foods. You can easily add them to your meals for quick results.

• Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard)
• Nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews)
• Whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, oats)
• Legumes (black beans, lentils, chickpeas)

Get Enough Tryptophan for Melatonin Production

Tryptophan is an amino acid that helps your body produce serotonin and melatonin. In addition, both of these two key hormones also regulate good sleep. 

Here’s the list of foods that are great for your Tryptophan intake.

• Bananas
• Oats
• Nuts and seeds
• Tofu and tempeh
• Chickpeas

Support Relaxation with Herbal Teas

A warm cup of tea before bed can do wonders for relaxation. But not just any tea—some herbs specifically promote sleep.

It’s better to try these caffeine-free plant-based options. You can choose any of them as per your choice.

• Chamomile tea: It reduces stress and helps you unwind.
• Valerian root tea: It is considered a natural sedative that may improve sleep quality.
• Lavender tea: It is known to be very effective in calming the nervous system and promoting relaxation as well.
• Peppermint tea: Aids digestion. Moreover, it prevents the discomfort that could disrupt sleep.

Cut Back on Caffeine and Sugar

We all love a good cup of coffee, but too much caffeine—especially in the afternoon—can interfere with your sleep cycle. 

So, if you struggle to fall asleep then it’s time to switch to herbal teas. You can also consider plant-based energy boosters like matcha or maca earlier in the day.

Likewise, processed sugars can cause energy crashes and disrupt melatonin production. Instead of sugary snacks, You should opt for whole fruits, nuts, or dark chocolate in moderation.

Try a Plant-Based Evening Routine

Your diet is important. But, also keep in mind that your nighttime routine matters too. So, you should add a few simple habits. 

We are here to tell you the most practical tips here.

• Eat dinner early – It would be a great approach to give your body time to digest before bed.
• Limit screens – You should know that blue light from phones and TVs can mess with melatonin production. So, it is better to not use such screens before bed.
• Practice relaxation techniques – There are many relaxation techniques to calm your brain. You can consider meditation, deep breathing, or gentle yoga.
• Create a sleep-friendly environment – Keep your room cool, dark, and quiet.

Final Thoughts

The Vegan Diet is all in one package. It not only provides you with nutrition but is also considered very effective for solving your hundreds of problems. This is all due to the presence of essential nutrients in it. All of them work great to do wonders for your body.

Out of all – good quality sleep is highly linked with a vegan diet. All because it contains such nutrients that calm our brain and we have a good sleep in return.

So, it’s time to say goodbye to sleep struggles and discomfort sensations. Just start eating vegan foods and see how good sleep welcomes you!

Every breath we take is often taken for granted. But for the 3.8 million Americans living with emphysema, each shortened breath, cough and wheeze is a reminder of this devastating lung disease.

End-stage emphysema, or stage 4 emphysema, can mean living with a decade or more of breathing problems, tiredness, heart problems or other health concerns that impact your ability to live your life to your fullest.

Because emphysema, like other forms of COPD, reduces the amount of oxygen that can reach your bloodstream, the heart works harder to spread oxygen throughout the body. A person with severe emphysema may get tired easily, may have chest pains or palpitations, or experience headaches, sleep problems, and irritability.

“There is no cure for emphysema or COPD, but our goal is to help slow the progression of the disease,” said Faisal Khan, MD, a Greenwood pulmonologist who practices at Franciscan Health Indianapolis.

What Is Emphysema?

Emphysema is a lung disease that damages the air sacs in the lungs, leading to shortness of breath and reducing how much oxygen is delivered into the bloodstream.

Emphysema permanently damages the alveoli, or air sacs, in your lungs, making it harder for your body to breathe. Emphysema weakens and ruptures these air sacs. With less air sacs there is less area for oxygen to reach your bloodstream.

Although treatment may slow progression of the condition, it can’t reverse the damage.

What Is The Difference Between Emphysema And COPD?

Emphysema, along with chronic bronchitis, falls under a group of lung diseases known as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). These lung diseases cause airflow blockage and breathing problems.

How Common Is End-Stage Emphysema?

Stage 3 emphysema is when you have less than 50% lung function remaining, and stage 4 (or end-stage emphysema) is when you have less than 30% lung function left.

More than 140,000 people in Indiana and about 65,000 people in Illinois have emphysema, and about one-third of those patients have severe emphysema (stage 3 and 4).

In all, COPD is the third-leading cause of death in the US and affects 373,000 people in Indiana.

What Causes Emphysema?

Smoking is the leading cause of emphysema, which makes it one of the most preventable respiratory diseases. Emphysema is most common in men between 50 and 70 years of age. Cigarette smoking is the cause in about 9 in 10 people with emphysema. A smoker is 10 times more likely to die from COPD than a nonsmoker.

If a smoker quits before emphysema develops, the decline levels off until it is nearly normal for the person’s age. Smokers who quit also see an improved life expectancy.

Scientists believe that other factors are involved in the disease, because only 3 in 20 to 1 in 5 smokers develops emphysema. Other factors that may contribute to emphysema include air pollution, fumes, and dust in the workplace.

There is also a rare, inherited form of the disease called alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency-related pulmonary emphysema or early onset pulmonary emphysema.

What Are The Symptoms Of Emphysema?

Emphysema usually comes on slowly, as the disease destroys lung tissue gradually. Early emphysema symptoms include occasional shortness of breath and fatigue, but the lung disease is often not diagnosed for years, until it has damaged more than half of your lungs’ air sacs.

Symptoms of emphysema include:

• Shortness of breath, particularly during light exercise
• Long-term cough
• Feeling of not getting enough air
• Mental fog
• Wheezing
• Ongoing mucus production
• Constant fatigue
• An enlarged heart because of damaged lungs
• Swelling of the ankles, legs or abdomen
• A bluish tinge to skin, lips and nails due to poor oxygen supply.

Can Emphysema Be Cured?

Emphysema cannot be cured, as lung tissue cannot be regrown, but treatment may slow the progression of the disease.

How Do You Treat Emphysema In The Lungs?

“Our goal when treating people with severe emphysema is to help them live more comfortably with emphysema, control emphysema symptoms, and prevent emphysema from advancing to a later stage, or getting worse,” Dr. Khan said. Oftentimes antibiotics, inhalers or other medications can help relieve shortness of breath.

There is no way to repair or regrow the damaged lung tissue.

Depending on the severity of your emphysema, your treatment plan may include:

• A pulmonary rehabilitation program to strengthen the muscles you use for breathing and exercise the rest of your body. “It’s tempting to not exercise when you have emphysema, but regular physical activity can actually improve your health,” Dr. Khan said.
• Antibiotics for bacterial infections
• Staying away from the smoke of others and removing other air pollutants from your home and workplace
• COPD medicines (bronchodilators) that widen the airways of the lungs, and can be either taken by mouth or inhaled
• Getting the flu and pneumococcal vaccines
• Nutritional support since you may develop malnutrition and lose weight
• Other types of oral and inhaled medicines that are used to treat symptoms such as coughing and wheezing
• Oxygen therapy when medications are not doing enough for you.
• Quitting smoking, whether from traditional cigarettes, cigars or vaping.

How Do You Treat End-Stage Emphysema?

As emphysema becomes more severe and the disease progresses to later stages, surgical options may be considered. These include surgery to remove the damaged area of the lung or a lung transplant if lungs are too damaged to benefit from surgery. However, lung reduction surgery and lung transplants are only helpful in a small group of patients with end-stage emphysema, and there is severe risk in these surgeries. There is no way to repair or regrow damaged lung tissue.

However, a new, less invasive procedure is now available for people with severe or end-stage emphysema (stage 3 or stage 4 emphysema). Franciscan Health now offers an endobronchial valve system to treat breathing problems. The Zephyr® valve procedure, available at Franciscan Health Indianapolis, is a treatment option for people with severe emphysema. Patients report being able to take full breaths immediately after the procedure and within a few days are back to doing everyday tasks with ease.