Thursday, March 29, 2012

Experts probe possible link between asthma inhalers and birth defects

An inquiry will look at prescription
drug usage during pregnancy.
A Europe-wide study will be following thousands of pregnant women taking prescription drugs for asthma, epilepsy, diabetes and depression to see if there is an increased risk of birth defects and health problems in babies.

The study will examine nearly four million births and concentrate in asthma inhalers, man-made insulin, new anti-epileptics and Prozac-style anti-depressants called SSRIs, which many pregnant women with chronic conditions need to take even during pregnancy.

The researchers urged pregnant women to keep taking their medications and to talk to their health care providers if they are worried.

Traditionally, women have been cautioned to be careful with drugs during pregnancy because it is very difficult to establish safety in pregnancy.

Some prescription drugs have already been linked to birth defects or health problems, including preventive asthma inhalers, which can increase the risk of hormonal and metabolic disorders in infants.

Doctors say that risks need to be weighed with the benefits of taking medications and that more research is needed to determine the risks.

Source: The Daily Mail

Find relief with better indoor air quality

Women and others suffering from asthma and respiratory diseases can benefit from breathing cleaner and fresher air.
AllerAir air purifiers clean the air with activated
carbon and HEPA air filters.

The best ways to improve indoor air quality are source control (avoid adding pollutants to the indoor environment as much as possible), ventilation (open windows, maintain ventilation system) and air cleaning (a high-quality air purifier with activated carbon and HEPA can remove the widest range of pollutants).

Many indoor air contaminants are known to cause or aggravate asthma symptoms as well as other health effects.

AllerAir offers the most efficient and long-lasting air purifiers for asthma and allergies with a deep-bed activated carbon filter as well as a HEPA filter and optional UV germicidal filtration.

The AirMedic Series includes AllerAir’s best air purifiers for particle concerns, while the 5000 Exec also provides superior protection.

For more information, contact AllerAir.