Avail Clinical Research » Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

COPD Clinical Trials | Tips on How to Stay Healthier

thunderseo — Thu, 20 May 2010 15:12:25 +0000

Having COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is scary. You’ve probably experienced a persistent cough, a cough with a lot of mucus, a shortness of breath, wheezing, a tightness in the chest and because of the shortness in breath you’ve had to limit your activities. That can be frightening of course.

Because there isn’t a cure for COPD, there are ways to live a healthier life. If you smoke, quit. Stay away from second-hand smoke, dust and other lung irritants. Be sure to take the medication that’s been prescribed. Even if you feel better, you must take it exactly as prescribed. Continue to see your doctor at least twice a year, and eat healthy foods. Although it is not considered a way to stay healthier, you might benefit from COPD clinical trials. Your doctor can point you in the right direction (or you can just move through our site here).

However, one of the most important things (besides quitting smoking) you can do is change up your nutritional habits. Good nutrition is important for everyone, and if you have COPD eating a balanced diet can give you more energy and improve your overall health. You might require more calories than a healthy person, but the doesn’t mean you get to consume large quantities of empty calories! You might need more calories because it takes more energy to breathe with COPD.

COPD treatments are one of the research studies we’ve been working on here in DeLand, Florida. Some of our investigational treatments have shown promising results, but there is a need to do additional research studies to test investigational methods that may help us understand the condition.

Treatment Options? Consider Clinical Trials COPD

thunderseo — Wed, 19 May 2010 19:20:36 +0000

If you know of someone, or maybe it is you, who has been diagnosed with COPD you probably have some questions. You might have asked your doctor already, but you might have missed a few things. Or maybe you’ve recently been diagnosed, so let’s start at the beginning.

COPD stand for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Often you are diagnosed with this if you have two long-term lung diseases – chronic bronchitis and emphysema. You probably went to your doctor because you had trouble breathing. To-date there isn’t a cure for COPD, but there are treatments available to help manage the disease. It is important to note that possible additional treatments are found through clinical trials COPD.

COPD is commonly caused by cigarette smoking, and even being around second-hand smoke can attribute to developing this disease. Other causes are long-term exposures to irritants, such as; chemicals, dust and air pollution. And sometimes even genetics can play a role. People lacking a protein called ‘alpha 1 antitrypsin’ are more likely to develop this disease because their lungs are more susceptible to COPD’s devastation.

The goal of treatment for COPD is to ease your symptoms. As I stated already there isn’t a cure yet, so slowing the progress of the disease and preventing and treating complications is imperative to improving the overall quality of the person’s life. Here are some treatments:

* Bronchodilators: medicines (often inhaled) that relax the muscles around airways
* Corticosteroids: medicines that reduce airway inflammation
* Antibiotics: medicines to help fight bacterial infections
* Flu or pneumonia vaccines: shots to reduce the chances of getting the flu or pneumonia
* Pulmonary rehabilitation: a program of exercise, disease management, and counseling to help you stay as healthy and active as possible
* Oxygen therapy: extra oxygen to reduce shortness of breath, protect organs, and enhance your quality of life.

Avail Clinical Research Announces Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Research Studies in DeLand, Florida

thunderseo — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:59:06 +0000

DeLand, Florida— January 25, 2010 — Avail Clinical Research, a privately owned research facility, founded in 1998 in DeLand, FL, announces the launch of several chronic obstructive pulmonary disease clinical trials to test investigational treatment options for those already diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). “We are very pleased to begin the systemic evaluation of our research studies to help find a viable investigational treatment solution to those suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,” said Bruce G. Rankin, DO, CPI., the Vice Chief of Medicine at Florida Hospital DeLand. “We believe that these research studies will build significantly on the data generated by other studies conducted on investigational treatment options for (COPD).” Dr. Rankin has been conducting research with Avail Clinical Research since 1999 and is currently the Medical Director.

The research studies will enroll those already diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes symptoms like a cough that won’t go away, often coughing up mucus, short of breath, or have had bronchitis in the past. In order to participate in the studies volunteers must be diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Avail Clinical Research will not take volunteers who:

• have any evidence or treatment of malignancy within the previous 5 years,
• have a history of alcohol or substance abuse within the previous 5 years,
• have used an investigatory drug or participated in an investigatory study within 30 days of the screening,
• are pregnant, or
• are breast-feeding.

Avail Clinical Research will provide participants with study related care, including physical examinations, laboratory services and study medications. Participants will also be compensated for time and travel. For more information regarding participation in our clinical trials, contact Avail Clinical Research at 386.310.1334, or at www.AvailClinical.com.