Power outages, like those caused by the “blackout” in Portugal and Spain in 2025 and now by the storms we are experiencing, are particularly serious for patients depending on therapy at home with non-invasive ventilation devices , being urgent to ensure updated data bases, adopt protocols on courses of action and provide for coordination between health institutions and equipment suppliers. This was one of the topics approached at LUng’Z – Hospital da Luz Pneumology Congress, which has gathered specialists from across the country, on January 30 and 31, to analyze studies, guidelines, and the most relevant events of last year concerning this specialty and with impact on patients. The consequences of the “blackout” motivated an inquiry conducted by Spanish and Portuguese professionals in 60 institutions of both countries (entitled “Preparedness for Blackouts in Iberian Peninsula Patients Using Home Respiratory Therapies” ), with the intention to find out what happened and what must be improved. Conclusions: “The blackout has exposed clinical gaps in emergency preparation for patients depending on home respiratory therapies”, “many centers were not able to contact directly dependent and high-risk patients”, thus causing a rush to emergency services. Chronic respiratory diseases are as a matter of fact “a very serious national and international public health problem” (the fourth cause of death in Portugal, and the sixth cause of death in Europe), and “patient organizations are fundamental actors and partners capable of contributing to solutions”, stated on its turn Paula Duarte, the vice-president of Respira (Portuguese Association of People with COPD and other Chronic Respiratory Diseases), who made a presentation of the history and activity of that IPSS. “It is our obligation, as doctors, to support associations like Respira and introduce them to our patients also”, defended apropos Sofia Tello Furtado , the director of Pneumology at Hospital da Luz Lisboa and president of the congress. In this 3 rd edition of Hospital da Luz LUng’Z: The communications were presented by specialists within the Hospital da Luz Network, and the sessions moderation was almost always ensured by doctors from other institutions. The program included a comprehensive range of themes, naturally focused on diseases with the highest impact on the population: lung cancer, asthma and COPD, bronchiectasis (chronic heterogeneous disease that provokes the progressive and irreversible dilation of the airways). There was also space to discuss the “novelty” of hyperbaric medicine treatments, non-invasive ventilation therapies, respiratory rehabilitation, and sports medicine. Highlight also for an updating on tobacco consumption trends and impact on respiratory diseases, based on the most recent national and international reports: the global prevalence (OECD countries) is of 14.8% (14.2% in Portugal), there was an average 26% reduction in the number of daily smokers, but an increase of 6% on vaping (registering “an alarming increase” in adolescents, being identified as a new public health issue). This new type of tobacco consumption was, in fact, the theme of the work that won the best scientific poster during the congress: “New habits, new diagnoses: acute eosinophilic pneumonia related with heated tobacco”, poster prepared by Maria Olívia Ramos . “A major pneumology national event” “We have a solid past, a present of excellence, and a promising future. We have never had so much knowledge, diagnostic tools, and therapeutic options. But we must never forget that the essential in pneumology is the focus on people. To treat is not merely maintaining alive, it is also ensuring that life is lived with quality.” These messages were left by Jorge Ferreira, president of the Portuguese Society of Pneumology (SPP), in the closing conference of this Hospital da Luz congress, an initiative he made a point of praising : “This is surely a major national event in the area of pneumology, for its scientific quality and for the participation. Therefore, it is with great enthusiasm that SPP associates the initiative.” “LUng’Z is the result of our commitment to healthcare quality and training. Professionals who study and invest in training provide better care”, highlighted on the other hand Sofia Tello Furtado. “ “We look forward to an open and strong pneumology, integrating and continuously working with other specialties, on one hand, and the Portuguese Society of Pneumology and other civil society organizations, patient organizations, on the other”, she further added. Hospital da Luz thanks all the participants, sponsors, and trainers of this congress. LUng’Z will be back in 2027! In the photo below, elements of the organizing committee and scientific committee, composed of Ana Alfaiate , Ana Cristina Lutas, António Gerardo , Beatriz Maio , Bruno Von Amann , Cristina Braço Forte , Jorge Montês , Margarida Felizardo , Mónica Grafino , Sofia Tello Furtado, Susana Clemente , Olívia Laureano, and Vera Martins .
