2020 is here, but before we turn the page on the new year, RT is taking a look back at our top articles published in 2019. The following is a list of the 10 most-read articles on respiratory-therapy.com from January 1st through December 31st, 2019. (To be included in the list the article must have been published in 2019.) Click on the headlines to read the articles.

Happy New Year to all and thank you for your continued support of RT!


#1 / Olympus Launches Endobronchial Valve System for Emphysema

Published: February 11, 2019

The Olympus Spiration Valve System (SVS), an FDA-approved endobronchial valve, is now commercially available for the treatment of severe emphysema. The Spiration Valve is an umbrella shaped device that improves breathing by redirecting air from diseased parts of the lungs to healthier parts, enabling healthier tissue to expand.


#2 / Cough Assist for Effective Airway Clearance Therapy

Published: February 20, 2019

Clearing airway secretions has benefits not only for airway function but also infection prevention. One such therapy for clearing the airways of patients is cough assist.


#3 / Understanding Ventilator Basics and Ventilator Waveforms

Published: August 1, 2019

Mechanical ventilation is one of the most common ICU interventions, and understanding and accurately interpreting ventilator graphics may reduce risks and improve patient outcomes.


#4 / One-time Micro-preemie Is Now an RT in the NICU that Saved Her Life

Published: April 1, 2019

A CNN.com article documents the amazing story of Tammy Lewis, a respiratory therapist who now works in the same hospital NICU where she was born prematurely (24 weeks).


#5 / Apple Buys Asthma Monitoring Start-Up

Published: May 28, 2019

Apple has bought Tueo Health, which is working on a solution to help parents monitor asthma symptoms in children using a mobile app and commercial breathing sensors.


#6 / FDA Approves High-flow Oxygen, Speaking Valve for Hamilton Ventilators

Published: September 24, 2019

Hamilton Medical has received 510(k) approval for optional high-flow oxygen therapy on the Hamilton-G5, C1 and T1 ventilators, as well as for the speaking valve compatibility option on the Hamilton-C1 and T1.


#7 / Supersaturated Oxygen Therapy Device Approved

Published: April 15, 2019

The US FDA has granted premarket approval for a SuperSaturated Oxygen (SSO2) Therapy device to treat acute myocardial infarction. SSO2 therapy provides interventional cardiologists with a treatment significantly reduce muscle damage in heart attack patients.


#8 / Service Dogs Can Sniff Out an Asthma Attack Before It Happens

Published: January 9, 2019

Service dogs can be trained to notice changes in their owner’s breathing and may be able to detect an impending asthma exacerbation.


#9 / Five Tips for Interpreting Arterial Blood Gases

Published: July 5, 2019

Interpreting arterial blood gases (ABGs) may be difficult at first but with practice it becomes easier to see the problem and assess the possibility that the body is working to compensate for a chronic issue.


#10 / Hard-metal Pneumoconiosis Discovered in Vaper’s Lungs

Published: December 5, 2019

A rare form of lung scarring typically found in metal workers — hard-metal pneumoconiosis — was discovered in the lungs of a hospitalized vape user.