Lung Disease Center of Central Pennsylvania

08/21/2026

🌬️ Indoor air quality matters more than you think.

From dust and pet dander to cleaning products and mold, indoor air pollutants can affect your breathing and overall lung health.

Learn simple ways to improve the air inside your home with this helpful guide from the American Lung Association:

🔗 https://www.lung.org/clean-air/indoor-air

🏡🫁

Indoor air can be 2-5 times, even up to 100 times, more polluted than outdoor air. Americans spend 90% of the time indoors.

08/20/2026

🌳 Take a walk for your lungs!

Regular walking is one of the easiest ways to improve endurance, strengthen your breathing muscles, and support overall lung health.

Even a 20-minute walk can make a difference.

Step outside, enjoy the fresh air, and keep moving! 🚶‍♀️☀️🫁

08/19/2026

😴 Better sleep starts with better breathing.

If you wake up tired, snore loudly, or struggle with daytime fatigue, our Sleep Disorder Network can help identify the cause and provide treatment options.

Start sleeping—and feeling—better.

🌐 https://www.lungdiseasecenter.com

😴🫁

08/18/2026

50 YEARS AGO

“Time flies” is a frequent refrain particularly from
someone who has been around for a while. It seems like
only yesterday the use of inhaled corticosteroids was
found to be helpful in treating patients with asthma.
There was initial resistance from both the medical field
and patients concerning what at the time was a new
concept in therapy.
Today inhaled corticosteroids are the mainstay
of asthma management. To be clear, using these
inhaled medications does not cure asthma nor prevent
its development. The first oral and then inhaled
corticosteroids were brought into clinical use by a Dr.
H.M. Brown following an article he published in the
British Medical Journal in 1972. Since Dr. Brown’s studies
and observations physicians have learned a great deal
about the use of inhaled corticosteroid therapy in our
asthma patients.
The first thing we learned to do is make sure your
patient has asthma. Having an accurate diagnosis is
always important in treating any disease. We now know
that biomarkers (things found in the blood such as cells
called eosinophils) can help decision making in selecting
the optimal inhaled regimen. Most patients can have their
asthma controlled with low to medium doses of inhaled
corticosteroids and if systems persist adding on additional
types of therapy is more effective than raising the dose
of the corticosteroid.
We have come a long way from 1972 in our
understanding of the asthmatic disease process and ways
to keep our patients symptom free.

08/17/2026

💙 Happy National Nonprofit Day!

Today we recognize our Lung Disease Foundation of Central PA and its commitment to improving lives through education, smoking cessation programs, and community outreach.

The Foundation’s dedication helps countless individuals take steps toward healthier lungs every day.

Learn more and support our mission:

🌐 https://lungdiseasefoundation.org/

💙🫁

08/14/2026

The Lung Disease Foundation of Central PA is dedicated to assisting those living in Central PA to stop smoking.

That is why we’re bringing you from our Freedom From Smoking Program Team!

“Know your triggers that make you want to smoke and plan ahead on how to avoid them, alter them, or come up with alternatives.”

Take part in our next series of Freedom From Smoking classes for more great tips and the help and support you need!

For more information, visit www.lungdiseasefoundation.org. To register for the next series of classes, call (814) 977-4455 or (814) 946-2845 today!

08/13/2026

😲 Did You Know?

Your right lung is actually larger than your left lung!

Your left lung is slightly smaller to make room for your heart, but together they work around the clock to keep your body supplied with oxygen.

Your lungs are amazing! 🫁❤️

🫁

08/12/2026

🫁 Don't ignore a lingering cough.

If you've had a cough that won't go away or notice changes in your breathing, it may be time to see a pulmonary specialist.

The experienced team at the Lung Disease Center of Central PA offers advanced testing and personalized care to help you breathe easier.

🌐 https://www.lungdiseasecenter.com

🫁❤️

08/11/2026

FAMILIAR STORY

The connections between various metabolic systems
and organ systems is a frequent theme in my articles.
This time the connection is between two very disparate
organ systems, namely, the respiratory system and the
endocrine system. I think you all know by now what the
respiratory system is (nose, trachea, bronchial tubes, air
sacs and lung tissue with its blood supply). The endocrine
system are those organs which produce chemicals that
help to regulate our bodies various functions (thyroid
gland, pituitary gland, pancreas for insulin production,
adrenal glands, etc.)
The connection in this article is between a pulmonary
problem called bronchiectasis which I have written about
recently and also have devoted one of my radio shows
(The Buzz with Dr. Z) to on WRTA. This an anatomic
distortion of the airways caused by repeated inflammation
and infection. The endocrine problem is one of he most
common we see in medicine, specifically, diabetes.
An analysis of over 30,000 patients across four
international registries has found that patients with
bronchiectasis and diabetes have more severe disease
characteristic for their bronchiectasis. What does this
mean and why?
Patients with diabetes have more associated changes
in the body’s markers for inflammation and significant
differences in the type of bacteria cultured from their
airways. This means that patients who have both of these
problems are more at risk for serious lung infections and
as we all know infections can play havoc with blood sugar
management in diabetes.
It is important for your doctor to recognize this
association.

08/07/2026

“The Buzz with Dr. Z” is live on WRTA 98.5 FM and 1240 AM.

If you have enjoyed Dr. Z’s weekly “The Buzz by Dr. Z” articles in the Altoona Mirror for the last 12+ years, you will enjoy this expanded version on the radio with “The Buzz with Dr. Z.”

Mark your calendars and tune in on Tuesday, August 18th, at 2 PM. Dr. Z is looking forward to seeing you on the radio!