You’ve surely seen the TV commercials about at least one of the many new, hugely $$, biologic drugs being approved for all sorts of diseases: psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, and our area of expertise, asthma.  The newest of these is Fasenra, a subcutaneous injection every 4-8 weeks for severe asthma patients over 12 years old.  While this was just approved, here at Sarasota Clinical Research and Windom Allergy we’ve had the opportunity of seeing our patients on the drug for the past few years.  We thank those patients for their help in the research and development of this drug. ...

Lung Function Testing. Breathing tests, also known as spirometry or pulmonary function tests, are used to diagnose and monitor asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory diseases. You will be asked to blow into a machine that will measure the volume of air leaving the lungs. A nurse will coach and encourage you to properly perform the test. You may be given a bronchodilator inhaler (Albuterol) to see if your breathing improves. After 15 minutes, the test will be performed again. After your spirometry is completed, Dr. Windom will discuss your results and recommend a treatment plan. How...

Jennifer E. Fergeson, DO, Shiven S. Patel, MD, and Richard F. Lockey, MD Asthma affects about 300 million people globally and accounts for 1 in every 250 deaths in the world. Approximately 12 million people in the United States each year experience an acute exacerbation of their asthma, a quarter of which require hospitalization. ~~~ PHYSIOLOGIC AND LABORATORY PARAMETERS Serial measurements of lung function facilitate quantification of the severity of airflow obstruction and response to therapy. Measurement of peak expiratory flow (PEF) rate provides a simple, quick, and cost-effective assessment of the severity of airflow obstruction. Patients can be supplied...

Jennifer E. Fergeson, DO, Shiven S. Patel, MD, and Richard F. Lockey, MD Asthma affects about 300million people globally and accounts for 1 in every 250 deaths in the world. Approximately 12 million people in the United States each year experience an acute exacerbation of their asthma, a quarter of which require hospitalization. ~~~ PREDICTORS OF FATAL OR NEAR-FATAL ASTHMA Major risk factors for near-fatal and fatal asthma are recognized, and their presence makes early recognition and treatment of an asthma exacerbation essential. The history should include a review of previous episodes of near-fatal asthma and whether the patient has...

An European study published in the leading allergy medical journal, the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology , shows that allergy shots helped people with asthma reduce their steroid medications. Asthmatic children between the ages of 6-17 requiring daily inhaled steroids to control their asthma were invited to enroll in the 2 year study, wherein half were placed on allergy shots and the other half were treated with medications alone. The group on allergy shots was able to reduce their inhaled steroid dose by 50%, while at the same time maintain better asthma control than before the study According to...

Jennifer E. Fergeson, DO, Shiven S. Patel, MD, and Richard F. Lockey, MD Asthma affects about 300 million people globally and accounts for 1 in every 250 deaths in the world. Approximately 12 million people in the United States each year experience an acute exacerbation of their asthma, a quarter of which require hospitalization. ~~~ PHYSICAL EXAMINATION Clinical estimates of severity based on an interview and physical examination can result in an inaccurate estimation of disease severity; audible wheezing is usually a sign of moderate asthma, whereas no wheezing can be a sign of severe airflow obstruction. Symptoms of severe...

Asthma is a chronic condition and after awhile, you know your body well enough to tell when it is acting up or flaring. This often occurs with a viral infection, but also changes in temperature or season, new allergens in your environment (grandma and her cat come to visit, for too long!), or you run out of your daily maintenance medicines. When this happens, what do you do? At Windom Allergy we empower you to take Action! See our ‘Action Plan’ which when filled out specifically for you, will guide you step by step to self-manage you through an asthma...

By Jennifer E. Fergeson, DO, Shiven S. Patel, MD, and Richard F. Lockey, MD NOTE: This is the introduction to a 10 part series. Asthma affects about 300 million people globally and accounts for 1 in every 250 deaths in the world. Approximately 12 million people in the United States each year experience an acute exacerbation of their asthma, a quarter of which require hospitalization. Acute asthma should be differentiated from poor asthma control. Patients with acute asthma will exhibit increasing shortness of breath, chest tightness, coughing, and/or wheezing. In contrast, poor asthma control typically presents with a diurnal variability...

An European study published in the leading allergy medical journal, the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology , showed allergy shots helped people with asthma reduce their steroid medications. Asthmatic children between the ages of 6-17 requiring daily inhaled steroids to control their asthma were invited to enroll in the 2 year study, wherein half were placed on allergy shots and the other half were treated with medications alone. The group on allergy shots was able to reduce their inhaled steroid dose by 50%, while at the same time maintain better asthma control than before the study According to Dr....