Schachter's late father was a WWII refugee from Vienna who landed in the South Bronx and began a practice that inspired Schachter fils to enter the family profession; he now holds multiple titles in pulmonary and respiratory care at New York's Mount Sinai Medical Center, has published more than 400 research papers and five monographs, and is the former president of the American Lung Association. If any further evidence were needed of his menschdom, 25 percent of all earnings from this preventative how-to will be donated to the American Lung Association of the City of New York. Schachter shows COPD (the disease in the subtitle) to encompass various forms of chronic bronchitis (sometimes in the form of smoker's cough), asthma and emphysema, and notes that many potential victims of the disease-which affects 35 million Americans and is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S.-are between 45 and 64. He carefully lays out environmental hazards (from particulate matter to gas stoves), warning signs, testing options, treatments and preventatives, including changes in diet and exercise. He argues against smoking, of course, and offers tips on how to quit. The book is brisk but sympathetic-one section about asthma, a disease that many argue has links to stress, is titled: "It's Not All In Your Head"-and should help even the most doctor-phobic seek proper care.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
I first saw Dr. Schacter being interviewed on the Today Show in April while I was home recouperating from my third round of pneumonia in about 15 years. I ordered the book immediately and read it within a day of receiving it. The information contained in the book was extremely helpful in educating me about how serious a chronic cough can be and how important it is to get appropriate treatment for anything that is related to your lungs on a timely basis. My sister is a severe asthmatic and I ordered a copy for her and sent it to her in California. Following my bout of pneumonia, I have learned that I have a pulmonary nodule and again found the information in the book helpful as I have begun to navigate the ramifications of that health issue. When I was first diagnosed, I also emailed Dr. Schacter some questions and he responded to me personally which was certainly "above and beyond." I highly recommend this book to anyone anyone with any pulmonary issues.
