“Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred. This thickened, stiff tissue makes it harder for the lungs to work properly. Pulmonary fibrosis worsens over time. Some people can stay stable for a long time, but the condition gets worse faster in others. As it gets worse, people become more and more short of breath.”
MAYO CLINIC (Pulmonary fibrosis – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic)
Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred. This thickened, stiff tissue makes it more difficult for your lungs to work properly. As pulmonary fibrosis worsens, you become progressively more short of breath.
The scarring associated with pulmonary fibrosis can be caused by a multitude of factors. But in most cases, doctors can’t pinpoint what’s causing the problem. When a cause can’t be found, the condition is termed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
The lung damage caused by pulmonary fibrosis can’t be repaired, but medications and therapies can sometimes help ease symptoms and improve quality of life. For some people, a lung transplant might be appropriate.
Factors that make you more susceptible to pulmonary fibrosis include:
Pulmonary fibrosis scars and thickens the tissue around and between the air sacs (alveoli) in your lungs. This makes it more difficult for oxygen to pass into your bloodstream. The damage can be caused by many different factors — including long-term exposure to certain toxins, certain medical conditions, radiation therapy and some medications.
Long-term exposure to a number of toxins and pollutants can damage your lungs. These include:
Some people who receive radiation therapy for lung or breast cancer show signs of lung damage months or sometimes years after the initial treatment. The severity of the damage may depend on:
Many drugs can damage your lungs, especially medications such as:
Lung damage can also result from a number of conditions, including:
Many substances and conditions can lead to pulmonary fibrosis. Even so, in most cases, the cause is never found. Pulmonary fibrosis with no known cause is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Researchers have several theories about what might trigger idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, including viruses and exposure to tobacco smoke. Also, some forms of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis run in families, and heredity may play a role in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Many people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis may also have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) — a condition that occurs when acid from your stomach flows back into your esophagus. Ongoing research is evaluating if GERD may be a risk factor for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or if GERD may lead to a more rapid progression of the condition. However, more research is needed to determine the association between idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and GERD.
“The New Year is often approached with new goals and mindsets, many of which focus on health, including reducing alcohol consumption. The Dry January campaign is one approach to help those who are sober curious or simply interested in cutting back in the new year.
Dry January is a month-long journey to stop drinking. It initially started as a campaign in the UK in 2013 under the organization Alcohol Change UK and quickly caught on worldwide as a growing trend. Since this campaign launched, nearly a quarter of all Americans have participated in Dry January each year.
The World Health Organization warns that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for health, and therefore, abstaining from alcohol is the best way to prevent alcohol-related diseases that can affect your heart, kidneys, brain, and liver. Alcohol consumption is a leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., according to a 2022 study published in JAMA Network Open, and it seems that alcohol consumption in the United States is not stopping or slowing down anytime soon.
According to a 2023 Gallup survey:
62% of Americans consume alcohol
69% of these adults say they last had a drink within the past week. This includes 32% whose most recent drink was in the last 24 hours.
20% of adults in this survey say they drink more than they should
Beer and liquor sales have increased and especially are on the rise during the holiday season in December.
Younger generations drink less, & older generations continue to drink more.”
Alcohol Help (alcohol.com/Dry January 2025: The Ultimate Guide)
Harvard Health Publishing states the following:
“If you’d like to cut down your alcohol consumption or start the new year with a clean slate, join in the Dry January challenge by choosing not to drink beer, wine, or spirits for one month. Dry January began in 2012 as a public health initiative from Alcohol Change UK, a British charity. Now millions take part in this health challenge every year.
While past observational studies suggested a link between drinking a moderate amount of alcohol and health benefits for some people, more recent research has questioned whether any amount of alcohol improves health outcomes. And heavier drinking or long-term drinking can increase physical and mental problems, especially among older adults. Heart and liver damage, a higher cancer risk, a weakened immune system, memory issues, and mood disorders are common issues.
Yet, cutting out alcohol for even a month can make a noticeable difference in your health. Regular drinkers who abstained from alcohol for 30 days slept better, had more energy, and lost weight, according to a study in BMJ Open. They also lowered their blood pressure and cholesterol levels and reduced cancer-related proteins in their blood.
A month may seem like a long time, but most people can be successful. Still, you may need assistance to stay dry in January. Here are some tips:
Sugarman recommends people also use Dry January to reflect on their drinking habits. It’s common for people to lose their alcohol cravings and realize drinking need not occupy such an ample space in their lives. If this is you, consider continuing for another 30 days, or just embrace your new attitude toward drinking where it’s an occasional indulgence.
If you struggle during the month, or give up after a week or so, you may need extra help cutting back. Talk to your doctor about getting the help you need.
The Rethinking Drinking site created by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is also an excellent resource. For the record, NIAAA recommends limiting alcohol to two daily drinks or less for men and no more than one drink a day for women.
Dry January can reveal signs of potential alcohol problems, including symptoms of alcohol withdrawal ranging from mild to serious, depending on how much you usually drink.
“If you suffer alcohol withdrawal symptoms at any time, you should seek immediate medical help,” says Sugarman.”
“An estimated 4.22 million U.S. adults had glaucoma in 2022, and 1.49 million had vision-affecting glaucoma, with “substantial variation” in prevalence by region and demographics, according to a research study published in JAMA Ophthalmology
“Up-to-date estimates of how many people have glaucoma in a certain area are vital for addressing the problem,” said Joshua Ehrlich, MD, MPH, lead author of the study and associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at Michigan Medicine. “This kind of information is important for formulating evidence-based policy and public health solutions.”
To estimate the prevalence of glaucoma and related vison loss on a state and county level, Ehrich and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Medicare and IBM MarketScan claims, population-based studies of eye disease and population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.”
Glaucoma Research Foundation (Glaucoma Study Shows Higher Prevalence Than Previous Estimates – Glaucoma Research Foundation Glaucoma.org)
“More than 4 million people in the United States have glaucoma and about 35% have related vision loss. Both total glaucoma and vision-affecting glaucoma vary by demographic factors.
Glaucoma is called “the sneak thief of sight” since there are no symptoms and once vision is lost, it’s permanent. As much as 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing.”
Glaucoma Research Foundation (January Is Glaucoma Awareness Month – Glaucoma Research Foundation)
“Some types of glaucoma are caused by other medical conditions — but for other people, the doctor doesn’t find another condition that causes it. When the doctor doesn’t find another cause, it’s called primary glaucoma.
Sometimes glaucoma is caused by another medical condition — this is called secondary glaucoma.”
National Eye Institute – NIH (Types of Glaucoma | National Eye Institute)
“In most children, the cause of tetralogy of Fallot isn’t known. It’s a common type of heart defect. It may be seen more commonly in children with Down syndrome or DiGeorge syndrome. Some children can have other heart defects along with tetralogy of Fallot. Infants and young children with unrepaired tetralogy of Fallot are often blue (cyanotic-not enough oxygen getting to their tissues).”
AHA American Heart Association (www.heart.org/en/health-topics/congenital-heart-defects/about-congenital-heart-defects)
“The ductus arteriosus is a normal fetal artery connecting the aorta and the main lung artery (pulmonary artery). The ductus allows blood to detour away from the lungs before birth.
Every baby is born with a ductus arteriosus. After birth, the opening is no longer needed and it usually narrows and closes within the first few days.
Sometimes, the ductus doesn’t close after birth. Failure of the ductus to close is common in premature infants but rare in full-term babies. In most children, the cause of Patent Ductus Arteriosus-PDA isn’t known. Some children can have other heart defects along with the PDA.
Truncus arteriosus occurs when the two large arteries carrying blood away from the heart don’t form properly and one large artery is present instead. This artery (the truncus) sits over a large opening or hole in the wall between the two pumping chambers (ventricular septal defect). With only one artery, there is no specific path to the lungs for oxygen before returning to the heart to deliver oxygen to the body.”
American Heart Association-AHA (www.heart.org/en/health-topics/congenital-heart-defects/about-congenital-heart-defects)
“Every 4.5 minutes a baby is born with a condition that affects the structure or function of their body. Collectively, these conditions are referred to as birth defects. They can vary widely in how and where they affect the body and include things from cleft lip to heart problems. While medical advancements have greatly improved health and survival, many of these conditions are lifelong and require lifelong care.
Achieving the best possible health will look different for different people. No two people living with these conditions are exactly alike. Everyone’s journey is unique, shaped by their specific condition, individual strengths, and the support system in place. However, a community of support can help people with these conditions no matter what health experiences they are navigating.”
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC