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

Francisco Almeida, MD, MS, director of the Fibrosing Mediastinitis Center at Cleveland Clinic, and Atul Mehta, MD join this episode of Respiratory Inspirations to cover all things fibrosing mediastinitis. Listen to learn the symptoms and causes of this condition and why it’s so common in Ohio, Missouri and the Mississippi Valley region. Dr. Almeida and Dr. Mehta also explain what to expect as a pa...

Are military burn pits the Agent Orange of today? And what other exposures lead to deployment-related lung disease? In 2022, Congress passed legislation to ensure that U.S. military personnel exposed to dangerous toxins from burn pits have their medical bills covered for any resulting diseases. In this episode, experts Dr. Maeve MacMurdo and Dr. Neha Solanki discuss the importance of investigating...

Dr. Kimberly Gifford, a primary care pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic Childrens, joins this episode of Respiratory Inspirations to discuss respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, specifically in children. She explains what RSV is, how it affects the body and the signs and symptoms parents should look out for.

Whether spending the day in an office, on the road or in a coal mine, today’s workers are exposed to a variety of substances that can harm lung function. Dr. Maeve MacMurdo, the director of the Occupational Lung Disease Clinic at Cleveland Clinic, provides an overview of the types of irritants and substances on the job that can lead to lung disease. She covers everything from occupational asthma t...

In this episode, Dr. James Stoller, chairman of the Education Institute at Cleveland Clinic, explains what Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency is, the effect it has on the body and what testing is available for diagnosis. He shares that shortness of breath is the most common symptom of the deficiency and encourages listeners to ask their physician about pulmonary function testing if this is a symptom t...

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 t...

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 meth...

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 a...

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 patien...

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...

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...

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 infect...

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...

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...

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...

In this podcast, Dr. Peter Mazzone, Director of the Lung Cancer Program for the Respiratory Institute and the Lung Cancer Screening Program for Cleveland Clinic, discusses why low-dose CT screening is essential for people at high-risk for lung cancer. You’ll learn about the eligibility recommendations for being screened, whether or not your insurance might cover it and what happens after you get s...

You’ve been told all your life that you’re allergic to penicillin, or to aspirin, or perhaps to a vaccine. And maybe you are allergic--or maybe not. In this podcast, Dr. David Lang, chairman of the Cleveland Clinic Department for Allergy and Immunology, explains why true penicillin and aspirin allergies are actually rare. He also discusses how testing and desensitization can be done safely. Dr. La...

In this podcast, Dr. Sumita Khatri, vice chair of Cleveland Clinic’s Respiratory Institute and director of the Asthma Center, discusses how the environment, both indoor, outdoor and over a lifetime, impacts your lungs. You’ll learn about your “exposome” and how making changes in it can improve your lung health. You’ll also hear about HEPA filters versus air purifiers, understand the connection bet...