Respiratory ills of Iraq and Afghan vets often go undiagnosed and untreated
Evidence is mounting that veterans are suffering from pulmonary disorders related to deployment to the Middle East, but little is being done to diagnose and treat these illnesses, say researchers who are proposing new guidance for treating affected troops.
Thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan vets have respiratory problems that affect their daily lives, but few of them — or their doctors — know enough about war-related lung conditions to seek care or diagnose a disorder, says Dr. Anthony Szema, an assistant professor at Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine and adjunct professor at Stony Brook University in New York.