My name is Laura Castricone and I am a Certified Respiratory Therapist. I have been practicing in the state of Connecticut since 1992. I have worked in several aspects of respiratory care including sleep medicine, critical care, rehab, and home care. I earned my respiratory certification at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. Prior to becoming an RT, I attended the University of Connecticut pursuing a degree in English but left Uconn in my junior year to work with my father in the restaurant business. I stayed with him for over a dozen years. An education, by the way, that can never be bought! Once I married and had children, the restaurant business no longer fit my lifestyle. When my children were one and two years old, I decided to go back to school and that is where my career in respiratory care began. This career has been very rewarding and I have been blessed to meet some extraordinary people along the way. I grew up in Waterbury, CT, and now live in Litchfield County, CT with my husband and our crazy Jack Russell terrier, Hendrix. My hobbies include antiquing, gardening, writing plays, and painting miniature paintings.
Suctioning is considered a sterile procedure and should be performed with this in mind. We ask that you try to be as clean as possible when suctioning an airway. Learn More About Tracheostomy Suctioning @HPFY
A tracheostomy is usually done to bypass an obstructed upper airway or to clean and remove secretions from the airway or to more easily, and more safely, deliver oxygen to the lungs. Learn more about it @ HPFY
Supplemental Oxygen is a drug. Taking more or less than has been prescribed for your condition can lead to a multitude of health risks. Learn More @ HPFY
Always post “no smoking” signs on your front and back doors. To notify people and the fire department to know where oxygen is in the case of a fire. Learn More
An oxygen concentrator (also referred to an oxygen generator) manufactures its own oxygen by utilizing molecular sieve beds to sift out the trace elements in room air. It is an electrical or battery-operated device. Concentrators come in many varieties, both stationary and portable and high and low liter flows.
A peak flow meter is a very inexpensive tool to help a person who suffers from asthma, COPD, or other lung disease(s) to monitor their lung function, specifically peak flows.Consider adding a peak flow meter to your daily routine if you have asthma, emphysema, or another chronic lung disease.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy, or CPAP therapy, is not for everyone. I have set up thousands of patients on CPAP therapy and for every successful patient, there are at least 10 others who cannot adapt to it. So, what is the recommendation for patients who have obstructive sleep apnea but do not want to, or cannot, use a PAP device?
Just like every other system in our bodies, our respiratory system, especially if impaired by disease, needs its own special attention. Whether or not you suffer from asthma, emphysema, or no overt lung disease at all, certain foods and lifestyles lend themselves to healthier lungs.
A pulse oximeter is one of those items that should be in any healthcare toolbox, especially if the person suffers from any pulmonary disease(s) such as emphysema, asthma, chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, heart disease, or shortness-of-breath secondary to any disease state.
My name is Laura Castricone and I am a Certified Respiratory Therapist. I have been practicing in the state of Connecticut since 1992. I have worked in several aspects of respiratory care including sleep medicine, critical care, rehab, and home care. I earned my respiratory certification at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. Prior to becoming an RT, I attended the University of Connecticut pursuing a degree in English but left Uconn in my junior year to work with my father in the restaurant business. I stayed with him for over a dozen years. An education, by the way, that can never be bought! Once I married and had children, the restaurant business no longer fit my lifestyle. When my children were one and two years old, I decided to go back to school and that is where my career in respiratory care began. This career has been very rewarding and I have been blessed to meet some extraordinary people along the way. I grew up in Waterbury, CT, and now live in Litchfield County, CT with my husband and our crazy Jack Russell terrier, Hendrix. My hobbies include antiquing, gardening, writing plays, and painting miniature paintings.