Respiratory Inspirations: A Cleveland Clinic Lungs, Allergy, Critical Illness and Infectious Disease Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Maeve Macmurdo, director of the Occupational Lung Disease Clinic at Cleveland Clinic, explains what beryllium is and how exposure can be harmful to one’s health. She explains how beryllium sensitization can cause Chronic Beryllium Disease and the testing and monitoring that’s done when a person becomes sensitized. Dr. Macmurdo stresses the importance of ongoing screening for those working in an environment with beryllium. If you do need care, she covers why it’s important to go to a physician who understands Chronic Beryllium Disease and knows the early warning signs to look out for.

We all know smoking is bad for your health, but when it comes to quitting, it can be a tough habit to kick. In this episode, Dr. Humberto Choi, founder and director of the Smoking Cessation Program at Cleveland Clinic, explains exactly how smoking and vaping affects one’s health. He explains how the Smoking Cessation Program is designed for success by combining different treatment and therapy methods and shares how to find resources and programs that work for you. While the addiction to nicotine can be difficult to treat, it’s never too late.

You’ve heard of the ICU, but what is the MILU? In this episode, Dr. Aanchal Kapoor, founder and director of the Medical Intensive Liver Unit at Cleveland Clinic, explains what the MILU is, who the unit is for and how they care for patients. She explains why a specialized unit is necessary for patients with advanced liver disease and what differences exist between the ICU and the MILU. Dr. Kapoor also shares how many areas within Cleveland Clinic work together to care for patients in the unit.

In this episode, Dr. Daniel Culver, chairman of the pulmonary department at Cleveland Clinic, discusses Interstitial Lung Disease, a group of 50-200 diseases that affect the working parts of the lungs. He explains how different teams at Cleveland Clinic come together to determine what is causing the patient’s disease, what the features are and what can be done to improve the outcome for the patient. Dr. Culver also covers the four main groups of treatments available and what expectations to have.

In this episode, Dr. Marie Budev, medical director of the Cleveland Clinic Lung Transplant Program, covers all things lung transplant: the basics, who might need a lung transplant and why and what to expect pre- and post-lung transplant. She explains when the best time is to speak to your physician about a lung transplant and what patients can expect during an evaluation. Dr. Budev also discusses the various testing that goes into making sure the transplant has the best chance of success, as well as any limits or barriers there are to receiving a transplant.

If you have ever had a loved one in the ICU, you know how stressful it can be. In this episode, Dr. Hassan Khouli, department chairman of Critical Care Medicine, explains what exactly an intensive care unit is, the different technology and tools used in the ICU and the challenges for both the ICU team and family. He describes technology advancements in the ICU and how they’ve made connecting with the family easier. Dr. Khouli also explains how the family of a patient plays a key part of the care team and how the ICU team and family can partner together for the best experience and outcome.

While COVID-19 has affected everyone in one way or another, COVID-19 long-haulers are experiencing the effects long after the initial infection is gone. Dr. Kristin Englund, vice chair of Infectious Disease and founder and director of the reCOVer Clinic at Cleveland Clinic, explains what long-COVID is and how persisting symptoms are affecting long-haulers weeks or months after their initial infection. She covers the wide variety of symptoms patients experience, the impact long-COVID has on daily life and what the reCOVer Clinic is doing to help people get back to pre-COVID health.

Dr. Elliot Dasenbrook, founder and director of the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program, talks Adult Cystic Fibrosis: what it is, how it affects your lungs and body and the process of diagnosing cystic fibrosis in adults. He explains the differences in care for adult and pediatric cystic fibrosis patients and what changing your care from one to the other looks like. Dr. Dasenbrook also explains how many areas within Cleveland Clinic work together to care for patients in his program and the promising future of cystic fibrosis therapies.

What if there was a future where food allergies didn’t exist? It could be closer than we think. Dr. Sandra Hong, founder and director of the Food Allergy Center of Excellence, discusses how they’ve found a way to increase the probability of children growing out of their food allergy from 20% to 80%. She covers the most common food allergies, the symptoms of a reaction, what the Food Allergy Center of Excellence offers and the different treatments and therapies available. Dr. Hong explains the multidisciplinary approach they use to improve the lives of their patients with food allergies through treatment and therapy options that aren’t available in every allergists’ office visits.

Dr. Rachel Taliercio, founder and director of the Chronic Cough Clinic, talks about chronic cough: how it’s defined, the most common causes and using over-the-counter options for short-term symptom relief. She discusses what a patient may experience if they make an appointment with the Chronic Cough Clinic and the importance of a thorough records review and history of medications already tried. Dr. Taliercio also covers cough hypersensitivity syndrome, behavioral cough suppression therapy and new therapies on the horizon.