LiveLongAgeWell

If you have high cholesterol, and are taking or considering taking (prescription) “statin” medication to lower cholesterol and decrease heart attack risk, you might be interested in this large Israeli study. The results suggested that those who faithfully took their statin medication over a four- to five-year period had a significantly lower death rate (45 percent) than those who took their medication only occasionally. It’s interesting research—worth talking to your doctor about if you are in a high risk group—but it’s not a perfect study. It may be that those who took their medication faithfully also took better care of themselves in other ways, and those other ways were more responsible for their better survival than the statin drug.

(This dedicated to my brother for his birthday today…he’s a faithful and accomplished marathon runner. I hope he avoids cataracts based on his running, because he doesn’t use sunglasses, and that increases his risk.) Particularly if you have a family history of AMD (age-related macular degeneration, the biggest cause for blindness in adults) or cataracts, you will be interested to know that people who run faithfully may have a much decreased risk of developing those eye diseases. For example, one report showed that those who run over 4 kilometers per day (2.5 miles) cut their risk of AMD by up to 54 percent. Much more detail here.

Do you know people who still smoke, and are crazy about their pets? More about this later, but it seems that pets really suffer the effects of secondhand smoke too, and that many smokers might be motivated to quit once they realize they are harming their pets!

If you ever wondered if restaurant and workplace indoor smoking bans have really improved the public health—beyond just clearing the air—consider this dramatic recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The authors found that after three years of an indoor smoking ban in Pueblo, Colorado, local heart attack hospital admissions dropped 41%. This large drop in the rate of heart attacks is surprising and unexpected, so let’s look at the study closer to see if the conclusions are accurate and reliable.

When doctors read a medical research report, particularly one with unexpected findings, they should examine how the study was done (“study design”), to see if there were any defects, and if so, how serious they were…are they enough that the conclusions can’t be trusted? Unfortunately, many medical studies have bad design, but often that fact is not reported in the media article.

Fortunately the scientists at the CDC are good, and this study was well designed. For example, the researchers studied what is called a control group at the same time they studied the people in Pueblo. The control group was two other municipal areas close to Pueblo which did not enact a smoking ban. They looked at their heart attack rates also, and found no drop as there was in Pueblo. So most likely, the smoking ban was responsible for the big drop in heart attacks.

Actually there have been eight studies before this one looking at the same issue, and all have shown a rapid drop in heart attacks following a smoking ban, but only this CDC study covered a long time period.

Often when we think of the bad effects of cigarettes, we think about lung cancer, but this study emphasizes how smoke seriously affects our hearts also. If we want to live long, one hint is to stay clear of it. Wherever you are—inside or outside—this study suggests that it’s really worthwhile to move away…

“Quitting smoking is easy. I’ve done it a thousand times.” Mark Twain (probably around now…Happy New Year’s!)

Actually, quitting is tough, but about half of smokers eventually do it. Usually it takes multiple attempts. Especially if you are around secondhand smoke, which may even increase the risk of breast cancer, this year stop the damage and excess aging you are suffering; if you know a smoker, send him this post.

A smoker who quits, no matter her age, will begin to undue the damage, maybe even most of the damage. It doesn’t matter how long you smoked, you will be better off if you quit, now. Like all addictions it’s not easy, but if your personal resolve is strong you can try “cold turkey”. Many motivated smokers have quit this way.

But—no shame—if you want extra help, talk to your physician about nicotine replacement therapy (gum, patch, inhaler, or nasal spray), or one of the available prescription pills that significantly improve your chances of quitting. Realize though that if you choose a medication option, you still need a strong desire to quit, or you will fail.

All medication options have possible side effects, but not necessarily bad ones (and continuing to smoke has lots of side effects!)  Ask your doctor, and maybe research yourself) about this: the pill that has been on the market as a stop-smoking aid since 1997 (available relatively cheaply as generic bupropion) is also used as an anti-depressant, and many people even lose weight while taking it.

There is a newer drug (trade name Chantix) which is more expensive and has been heavily marketed to doctors, but may have more risks than the older medication bupropion. If your doc wants you to take the newer medication, quiz her closely about why she wants you to take the heavily marketed med rather than bupropion. Are the possible benefits really worth the risks of this new drug which could, in several years, be withdrawn due to side effects? (There have been enough concerns that the FAA has banned its use by pilots and air traffic controllers.) Often it’s safer, cheaper, and better to stick to the tried-and-true when it comes to medication. The newest is NOT necessarily better when it comes to prescription drugs!

Whatever method you choose, get support from an organization such as the Center for Disease Control (puts your tax money to work and has lots of great links) or the American Cancer Society.  And be aware that when you quit, for some time you could feel worse, even beyond missing the cigarettes.  Recent ex-smokers may cough more, and bring up more mucous, which might be a sign that the lungs are starting to come alive again, and that you are clearing out years of built-up debris. Discuss with your doctor.

When you—or someone you know—successfully quits, they will likely be happier, more self-assured, sick less, and no longer contributing to secondhand smoke risks.  Beyond that, while quitting, think of another reward.  Maybe a vacation, which now you can afford because you won’t be spending on cigarettes, and your health care costs will likely be lower!