A new study finds women experience greater shortness of breath during physical activity than men of a similar age. Dr Dennis Jensen, who led the study at McGill University, Canada, says: "Our study uniquely showed that sex differences in activity-related breathlessness could be explained by the awareness of greater electrical activation of the respiratory muscles - specifically the diaphragm - needed to achieve any given ventilation during exercise in healthy young women compared to men."
"Our findings indicated that greater electrical activation of the respiratory muscles during exercise in women is needed to compensate for their biologically smaller lungs, airways and breathing muscles."
Shortness of Breath
Dyspnea or Shortness of Breath is a medical emergency and is a condition the leaves us breathless, literally! It is usually caused by a problem in the respiratory passage or in the heart.
Advertisement
This information could be used by researchers and healthcare providers to help identify new treatments to relieve the symptoms of breathlessness and improve exercise capacity for groups such as the elderly and patients with chronic heart and lung disease.
Dr Jensen explains how the research was carried out: "50 healthy, non-smoking men and women aged 20-40 years completed a maximum exercise test on a stationary bicycle." During exercise, we monitored the participants cardiovascular, metabolic and ventilatory responses to exercise using computerized equipment.
![Acupuncture and Progress In People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Appear To Be Linked]( "Acupuncture and Progress In People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Appear To Be Linked")
Acupuncture seems to be linked with progress of dyspnoea (laboured breathing) on exertion, in people with COPD, as per results from a small clinical trial.
"At regular intervals during exercise, participants rated the intensity of their breathlessness using a 10-point scale. Using a multipair electrode catheter placed in the participants' oesophagus, we also recorded the electromyogram of the diaphragm (an index of the drive to breathe that presumably originates in the central nervous system) throughout exercise. These measurements were then analysed and compared between men and women."
Future research is needed to extend the findings to other groups of men and women, such as those that are overweight or obese.
Source: Eurekalert
Acupuncture and Progress In People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Appear To Be Linked
Acupuncture seems to be linked with progress of dyspnoea (laboured breathing) on exertion, in people with COPD, as per results from a small clinical trial.
Advertisement
"At regular intervals during exercise, participants rated the intensity of their breathlessness using a 10-point scale. Using a multipair electrode catheter placed in the participants' oesophagus, we also recorded the electromyogram of the diaphragm (an index of the drive to breathe that presumably originates in the central nervous system) throughout exercise. These measurements were then analysed and compared between men and women."
Future research is needed to extend the findings to other groups of men and women, such as those that are overweight or obese.
Source: Eurekalert
New Study Brings Hope for Asthma Sufferers
Researchers have identified a way to help asthma sufferers by blocking the two most important biological responses that lead to an asthma attack.
Advertisement
Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Readings
Latest Women Health News
Cannabis is marketed to women for managing menopause symptoms, and this shows midlife women are using it for menopause and related issues.
A higher risk of preterm birth was found to be associated with inadequate sleep and lower physical activity during pregnancy.
During the 7 pill-free days in contraception, women experience anxiety and mental issues similar to menstrual mood swings.
In the new study, it remains uncertain if the increased expression of the IGF1 gene in PCOS plays a role in elevating the risk of endometrial cancer.
Obese women experience increased severity of menopausal symptoms and reduced effectiveness and relief from hormonal therapy.
