HEALTH BEAT 9-1-2002

Meetings & Conventions: Short Cuts September 2002 Current Issue
September 2002
Short Cuts:
HEALTH BEAT

Plenty to Wheeze At

While on home turf, most asthma sufferers know exactly what triggers their shortness of breath or painful wheezing and coughing. But when in another part of the country or the world, even the most careful asthmatic can be caught off guard.

Dr. Alan Muney, executive vice president and chief medical officer of Oxford Health Plans in Trumbull, Conn., and Dr. Terry Fitzgerald, director of Oxford’s asthma disease management program, offer these tips to help travelers breathe easier.

• Always request a nonsmoking room when making hotel reservations.

• To keep medications close at hand, pack them in carry-on luggage and bring enough for the duration of the trip.

• Nebulizer users should always bring an electric-socket adapter when traveling outside the country.

• Because seasons begin and end at different times in different regions, bring proper medication for seasonal symptoms. Molds and pollen in foreign places can trigger an unexpected reaction.

For more information, consult your doctor or visit www.oxhp.com.

• CARLA BENINI