Respiratory Institute Patient Education and Support
Facing lung disease can be challenging. But you don’t have to do it alone. The Mount Sinai - National Jewish Health Respiratory Institute is well known for our expertise in diagnosing and treating lung conditions. And our experts would like to share the following materials to help you and your family better understand disease symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments.
Health Information Packets and Fact Sheets by Condition
At Mount Sinai, we know that different conditions can make it difficult to breathe. Here is a selection of brochures that discuss some of the illnesses that can cause respiratory problems.
Understanding Lung Diseases
We want to help you live your fullest life while you deal with chronic lung disease. And we believe that having a loving relationship with your partner can help. Here are some booklets that can provide more general information.
- Understanding Exercise, Healthy Eating and Lung Disease
- Understanding Being Close with Chronic Lung Disease
Allergy
If you find you always have a runny or stuffed-up nose, you may have rhinitis. Sometimes this is caused by allergies, other times it is not. This brochure can help you understand the condition.
Asthma
Asthma can make it hard to breathe. It can be complicated by pregnancy or exercise. These brochures can provide more information to help you understand your condition.
- Asthma and Pregnancy: What You Need To Know
- How Will I Know If I Have Exercise-Induced Asthma?
- Understanding Asthma
Bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis causes coughing and shortness of breath. This brochure provides more in-depth information so you can understand your condition and treatment options.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease/Emphysema
People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or emphysema have a hard time getting air in and out of their lungs. These brochures offer more information about this condition—and its diagnosis and treatment.
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency: Liver Disease
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency: Lung Disease
- Understanding COPD
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
If you have heartburn, it might be caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This brochure will help you understand the condition and your options.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)
If you have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), you might have any one of 200-plus diseases. We can help you cope.
Interstitial Lung Disease
If you have shortness of breath and a non-productive cough, you might have one of the more than 130 conditions called interstitial lung disease. Here is some more information on these conditions.
Nontuberculous Mycobacteria – NTM
NTM is not the same as pneumonia. But it still requires care. Here’s some information to help you learn about this disease.
Pneumonia
Once a scary diagnosis, these days, pneumonia is highly treatable. And we can help. Here’s some information on the condition.
Pulmonary Hypertension
If you find yourself short of breath, especially when you exert yourself, and feel chest pain and fatigue, you may have pulmonary hypertension. This condition happens when you have high blood pressure in your lungs. Here is some information that can help you learn more.
Sarcoidosis
You may be surprised to be diagnosed with sarcoidosis as you didn’t have any symptoms. But you may need treatment and at Mount Sinai, you are in good hands.
Sinusitis
Sinusitis is a common condition often triggered by the common cold. But unlike a cold, it does require a doctor’s care.
Sleep Disorders
These days, it seems like everyone has difficulty sleeping at least some of the time. If you have sleep apnea, you may need positive airway pressure therapy. This brochure will explain.
Upper Respiratory Infections
Everybody gets a cold now and again. For more information on the causes and treatments for the common cold, see this brochure.
Vocal Cord Dysfunction
If your vocal cords constrict, it can feel like you’re having an asthma attack. But vocal cord dysfunction is something very different. Here’s some information.
How to Use Medication Inhalers
At the Respiratory Institute, we use a variety of tools to help you breath more easily. Here is some specific information on the different devices.
- Acapella helps get mucus out of your airways to prevent infection.
- Aerobika can remove mucus from your airways to improve your breathing.
- Aerochamber helps you inhale medicine, to get it straight to your airways.
- Aerolizer enables you to inhale medicine.
- Diskus delivers medicine directly to your airways.
- Ellipta is a breath-activated medicine delivery device.
- Flexhaler helps you inhale medicine, which increases its effectiveness.
- Handihaler is a small, efficient, and convenient way to inhale medicine.
- Metered Dose Inhalers and the HFA Propellant is a medicine inhaler that doesn’t use CFCs.
- Nebulizer change medicine to a mist, which helps it reach small airways.
- Neohaler deliver medicine directly to the airways.
- Pari Jet LC+ Nebulizer and Pari LC Sprint Reusable Nebulizer
- Peak Flow Monitoring is a device that helps you measure your lung functioning.
- Pressair helps you inhale medicine, for quicker effect.
- RediHaler is breath activated and releases a mist of medication to the small airways.
- RespiClick is a breath activated delivery system for lung medications.
- Respimat help you inhale medicine to increase its effectiveness.
- Twisthaler is an inhaler for taking lung medicine.
PAD in Motion Phone App
When you’re in the hospital, it can be difficult to keep track of all your appointments, tests, and treatments. The Pad in Motion app provides a personalized and detailed schedule with up-to-the-minute information. Our goal is to increase care and decrease stress.
Telemonitoring Program
We can help to ease your transition from hospital to home through our partnership with the patientMpower mobile application that provides remote vital sign and blood oxygen monitoring for COVID-19 survivors. Learn more about our program.
Additional Fact Sheets
You may have questions or need additional information. Here are some brochures that may be able to help.
- ResMed Mask With Magnets Advisory (December 2023)
- Adult Vaccination Schedule
- COPD Medications
- Inhaled and Oral Corticosteroids
- On the Go with Oxygen
- On the Go with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC)
- PLAN Your Quit
- What You Need to Know About Medicine Safety
- What You Need to Know About Metered Dose Inhalers and the HFA Propellant
Support Groups and Upcoming Events
At the Respiratory Institute, our care extends beyond the hospital room, addressing any questions or concerns you may have about respiratory illnesses and diseases. We offer support groups to help patients and families understand and cope with respiratory symptoms and treatments.
- Pulmonary Hypertension Support Group
- Asthma Support Group
- Sarcoidosis Support Group
- Managing Your Lung Disease Classes
Please view our events calendar for information on the upcoming support group meetings. For any questions, please contact us at respiratoryinstitute@mssm.edu.