Join the 'Smoking' group to help and get support from people like you.
Smoking News
Related terms: Cigarette Smoker
Will an E-Cigarette Harm Your Heart?
Posted 13 seconds ago by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 20, 2017 – The nicotine in e-cigarette vapor may cause adrenaline levels to spike in the heart, potentially increasing risk of heart attack and sudden cardiac death, a new study reports. Electronic cigarettes have been promoted as a healthier alternative to tobacco cigarettes because they deliver vastly lower levels of carcinogens, researchers say. But laboratory studies show that e-cigarettes still could pose a threat to health because of the nicotine that the devices typically deliver, said lead researcher Dr. Holly Middlekauff. She's a cardiologist with the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. Nicotine-containing e-cigarettes appear to promote a fight-or-flight response by the sympathetic nervous system, causing a release of adrenaline that increases heart rate and reduces the amount of time between heart beats, researchers ... Read more
Related support groups: Smoking, Smoking Cessation, Nicotine, Nicorette, Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol Inhaler, Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Risk Reduction, Commit, Habitrol, Nicotrol TD, Nicorelief, Nicorette DS, Nicotrol NS, ProStep
HIV and Smoking a Lethal Combo for the Lungs
Posted 2 days 4 hours ago by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Sept. 18, 2017 – HIV patients who take their medication but also smoke are about 10 times more likely to die from lung cancer than from AIDS-related causes, a new study estimates. Lifesaving antiretroviral drugs have improved life expectancy to the point that patients now have more to fear from tobacco than HIV, said lead researcher Dr. Krishna Reddy. "Thanks to antiretroviral medicines, people with HIV are living longer," said Reddy, a pulmonologist and critical care doctor with Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. "The bad news is that they're living long enough to get cancer." Based on the new findings, smoking cessation should be a focus of treatment, he and his colleagues said. More than 40 percent of people with HIV are smokers, a rate more than double that of the general population, Reddy said. Fatalism and depression among HIV patients often lead them to take up ... Read more
Related support groups: Smoking, HIV Infection, Smoking Cessation, Nicotine, Lung Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, Nicorette, Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol Inhaler, Small Cell Lung Cancer, Commit, Habitrol, Nicotrol TD, Bronchogenic Carcinoma, Nicorelief, Nicorette DS, Nicotrol NS, ProStep
Higher Cigarette Taxes May Mean Fewer Infant Deaths
Posted 2 days 4 hours ago by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Sept. 18, 2017 – A new European study finds that when the price of cigarettes rises, infant deaths decline. The finding didn't surprise one U.S. expert in child health, because when fewer mothers can afford to smoke any longer – or take up the habit – their kids' health improves. "The association between maternal smoking and infant mortality has been known for decades," said Dr. Michael Grosso, chair of pediatrics at Huntington Hospital, in Huntington, N.Y. "Previous studies have identified strong associations with respiratory diseases in infancy, and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) appears to be doubled in the setting of maternal tobacco use," he noted. In the new research, a team led by Filippos Filippidis, of Imperial College London, tracked data on cigarette prices and infant deaths in 23 European Union countries between 2004 and 2014. During that time, ... Read more
Related support groups: Smoking, Smoking Cessation, Nicotine, Nicorette, Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol Inhaler, Commit, Habitrol, Labor and Delivery including Augmentation, Nicotrol TD, Nicorelief, Nicorette DS, Nicotrol NS, ProStep
Selena Gomez's Kidney Transplant Puts Lupus Center Stage
Posted 5 days ago by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Sept. 15, 2017 – When pop star Selena Gomez revealed Thursday that she had a kidney transplant, she put the autoimmune disease lupus in the spotlight. Lupus turns the body's immune system against itself and attacks vital organs, including the kidneys, which is why it's so devastating. But little is known about what causes the disease, and no real cure exists. Treatments can only keep it at bay. "Selena has a lot of courage to speak out about her condition and call attention to lupus," said Dr. Anca Askanase. She is clinical director of the Lupus Center at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. Because Gomez needed a transplant at age 25, she probably developed lupus at an early age, added Askanase, who is also a spokeswoman for the Lupus Research Alliance. The superstar singer first told Billboard in 2015 that she had been diagnosed with lupus and was undergoing ... Read more
Related support groups: Smoking, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Renal Failure, Chronic Kidney Disease, Lupus Erythematosus, Kidney Transplant
Smoking, Poor Diet Lead Global Death Causes
Posted 6 days ago by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Sept. 14, 2017 – Tobacco caused 7.1 million deaths worldwide in 2016, and poor diet was associated with 1 in 5 deaths, according to a new report. The Global Burden of Disease study also found that 1.1 billion people had mental health and substance use disorders in 2016, and that major depression was among the top 10 causes of poor health in all but four countries. Non-communicable diseases caused 72 percent of all deaths worldwide. Heart disease was the leading cause of premature death in most regions, accounting for 9.5 million deaths, an increase of 19 percent since 2006. Diabetes caused 1.43 million deaths worldwide in 2016, a 31 percent increase since 2006. The study also said deaths from firearms, war and terrorism have increased. But overall, the report found, death rates have declined in all age groups. The largest decline has been among children under the age of 5, ... Read more
Related support groups: Obesity, Smoking, Smoking Cessation
Which Single Behavior Best Prevents High Blood Pressure?
Posted 6 days ago by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Sept. 14, 2017 – You probably already know that certain healthy lifestyle behaviors can reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure, but is any one behavior more important than the others? Maybe, as new research suggests maintaining a healthy weight is the No. 1 behavior to prevent unhealthy blood pressure levels. "Our results indicate by maintaining a healthy body weight into middle age, you can help preserve low blood pressure," said the study's lead author, John Booth III. He's a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "There have been increases in blood pressure at younger ages, which are linked to heart disease and stroke," Booth said. "We evaluated the long-term impact of maintaining healthy behaviors on [high blood pressure]." Booth and his colleagues looked at the effects of five healthy behaviors: Never smoking Drinking 7 or fewer ... Read more
Related support groups: High Blood Pressure, Obesity, Hypertension, Smoking, Smoking Cessation, Alcohol Dependence, Alcoholism, Hangover, Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Risk Reduction, Hypertensive Heart Disease, Acute Alcohol Intoxication
U.S. Cancer Death Rate Continues to Fall
Posted 6 days ago by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Sept. 14, 2017 – More Americans are surviving cancer than ever before, but as the population ages, even more will develop the disease. That's the good and bad news from the 2017 Cancer Progress Report from the American Association for Cancer Research, released Wednesday. According to the report, the cancer death rate dropped 35 percent among children and 25 percent among adults from 1991 to 2014. That translates to slightly more than 2 million fewer cancer deaths. On the flip side, new cancer diagnoses are predicted to rise from nearly 1.7 million this year to 2.3 million in 2030, said the association's president, Dr. Michael Caligiuri. And this year alone, more than 600,000 Americans are predicted to die from cancer, according to the report. Caligiuri said the increase in cancer cases is simply a consequence of more people living longer. As the report noted, 53 percent of ... Read more
Related support groups: Cancer, Smoking, Smoking Cessation, Gardasil, Human Papillomavirus Vaccine, Cervarix, Human Papillomavirus Prophylaxis, Vaccination and Prophlaxis, Gardasil 9
Health Highlights: Sept. 13, 2017
Posted 7 days ago by Drugs.com
Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay: Infections Strike Young Heart Surgery Patients in New Orleans Incision infections have been reported in at least a dozen children who had heart surgery at Children's Hospital New Orleans earlier this year. The children are receiving intravenous antibiotics and are responding to the treatment, said Dr. John Heaton, the hospital's senior vice president and chief medical officer, the Associated Press reported. Heaton said the mycobacteria infections were caused by contamination in a machine that regulates a patient's temperature during heart surgery. Mycobacteria is common in water, soil and dust, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It also said contaminated medical devices can cause infections in the skin and soft tissues under the skin, the AP reported. ... Read more
Related support groups: Infections, Bacterial Infection, Smoking, Smoking Cessation, Atypical Mycobacterial Infection, Wound Infection
Do E-Cigarettes Damage Blood Vessels?
Posted 9 days ago by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Sept. 11, 2017 – Nicotine in e-cigarettes may cause stiffened arteries, which can lead to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke, a small Swedish study suggests. With the dramatic increase in e-cigarette use ("vaping") over the past few years, questions have arisen about their safety. And while many people think the devices are harmless, especially compared with regular cigarettes, little is known about long-term effects of these devices, according to lead researcher Magnus Lundback, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. "Increased arterial stiffness has previously been demonstrated following exposure to conventional cigarettes," said Lundback, who is a research leader and clinical registrar at the Danderyd University Hospital. "We think that chronic exposure to e-cigarettes with nicotine may lead to stiffer arteries and, in the long run, an increased risk of ... Read more
Related support groups: High Blood Pressure, Hypertension, Smoking, Smoking Cessation, Nicotine, Nicorette, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol Inhaler, Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Risk Reduction, Commit, Acute Coronary Syndrome, Habitrol, Hypertensive Heart Disease, Nicotrol TD, Nicorelief, Nicorette DS, Nicotrol NS, ProStep
Sleepless Nights Plague Many Women in Middle Age
Posted 13 days ago by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Sept. 7, 2017 – Lots of middle-aged American women are fretfully counting sheep each night, new research shows. The study, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that close to 20 percent of all women aged 40 to 59 said they had trouble falling asleep on four or more nights in the prior week. Sleep troubles were even more likely if the woman was in the years where she's transitioning into menopause ("perimenopause"). Among these women, more than half (56 percent) said they typically got less than the seven hours of sleep per night that experts deem restful and healthy. Even after menopause, sleep woes lingered: nearly 36 percent of postmenopausal women aged 40 to 59 said they had trouble staying asleep through the night. None of this should surprise any woman who's gone through menopause, said one expert who reviewed the study. Sleeplessness in this ... Read more
Related support groups: Sleep Disorders, Insomnia, Fatigue, Smoking, Menopausal Disorders, Smoking Cessation, Postmenopausal Symptoms, Sleep Apnea, Perimenopausal Symptoms, Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea Syndrome
Here's the Recipe to Keep Colon Cancer at Bay
Posted 13 days ago by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Sept. 7, 2017 – For reducing colon cancer risk, whole grains and regular exercise are a must, while processed meats and alcohol should be limited, a large research review finds. Three servings (about 3 ounces) a day of whole grains – such as brown rice or whole-wheat bread – may lower colon cancer risk by 17 percent, according to a new report from the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund International. And greater consumption of whole grains confers even more protection, said the researchers, who evaluated close to 100 studies. Among more than 29 million adult participants, about 250,000 had colon cancer. "The extensive review of the scientific literature revealed that colorectal cancer is largely preventable through a healthy diet and lifestyle," said report panel member Dr. Edward Giovannucci. "Maintaining a healthy body weight, ... Read more
Related support groups: Obesity, Smoking, Colonoscopy, Smoking Cessation, Alcohol Dependence, Colorectal Cancer, Hangover, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Acute Alcohol Intoxication
Long-Acting Inhaler May Help in Early Stage COPD, Too
Posted 14 days ago by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 6, 2017 – The inhaler medication Spiriva (tiotropium bromide) may help slow the progression of COPD if given in the early stages of the disease, a new study suggests. Researchers found that the drug helped patients preserve more lung function over two years. It also cut down on symptom flare-ups and boosted patients' quality of life, on average. All of the study patients were in the early stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD – a group of serious lung conditions that include emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Experts said the study, funded by Spiriva maker Boehringer Ingelheim, could help change the way early COPD is managed. Until now, nothing has been shown to slow the progression of early COPD – other than smoking cessation, said Dr. Louis DePalo, a lung disease specialist who wasn't involved in the study. "Quitting smoking is the one thing ... Read more
Related support groups: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Smoking, Smoking Cessation, Spiriva, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Maintenance, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Acute, Spiriva HandiHaler, Tiotropium, Stiolto Respimat, Alpha-1 Proteinase Inhibitor Deficiency, Spiriva Respimat, Olodaterol/tiotropium
Severe Psoriasis Linked to Higher Risk of Earlier Death
Posted 15 days ago by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Sept. 5, 2017 – People with severe cases of the skin disease psoriasis appeared to have almost double the risk of dying during a four-year study than people without the condition, research suggests. But the increased death rate was only seen in those with psoriasis affecting more than 10 percent of their body surface area. For those with less-severe disease, the risk of dying early was actually less than it was for people who didn't have the skin condition. Dr. Robert Kirsner, chair of dermatology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said that over the last decade or so, doctors have learned that people with psoriasis tend to be less healthy. "They are overweight, have diabetes mellitus, smoke, drink and have high cholesterol," he said. "These factors – as well as the presence of psoriasis itself – increases their risk for vascular disease and other poor ... Read more
Related support groups: Skin Rash, Smoking, Methotrexate, Psoriasis, Smoking Cessation, Plaque Psoriasis, Diabetes Mellitus, Soriatane, Dovonex, Tazorac, Taclonex, Oxsoralen, Acitretin, Calcipotriene, Methoxsalen, Tazarotene, Vectical, Enstilar, Anthralin, Resorcinol
Evolution Not Over for Humans
Posted 15 days ago by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Sept. 5, 2017 – Researchers report they have spotted signs that human DNA is still evolving. "It's a subtle signal, but we find genetic evidence that natural selection is happening in modern human populations," said study co-author Joseph Pickrell, an evolutionary geneticist at Columbia University and the New York Genome Center. Pickrell and his colleagues explored the genomes of 60,000 people of European descent from California and 150,000 from Great Britain. The researchers looked for signs of mutations that are linked to longer life spans. The researchers found that a genetic variation linked to Alzheimer's appears to fading in older women, possibly because women who have it tend to die earlier. They also found similar evidence that a genetic variation linked to heavy smoking in men is becoming less common. "It may be that men who don't carry these harmful mutations can ... Read more
Related support groups: Smoking, Smoking Cessation, Alzheimer's Disease, Diagnosis and Investigation
E-Cigs May Help Smokers Quit, But Only If They Use Them Instead of Tobacco
Posted 31 Aug 2017 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Aug. 31, 2017 – E-cigarettes can help smokers quit, but only if they discard tobacco in favor of vaping nearly every day, a new study suggests. Former smokers are nearly three times more likely to abstain from cigarette smoking if they puff on an e-cigarette two out of every three days, or at least 66% of the days in a month, according to the analysis of a federal survey on smoking. "E-cigarettes are an effective way to get cigarette smokers to quit, but you really need to use those e-cigarettes," said lead researcher David Levy. "Using them a couple days a month isn't going to be anywhere near as effective as if you use them most, if not all, days in a month." The odds of a smoker successfully quitting increases by 10 percent with each additional day of e-cigarette use, said Levy, a professor with Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, in Washington, ... Read more
Related support groups: Smoking, Smoking Cessation, Nicotine, Nicorette, Nicoderm CQ, Nicotrol Inhaler, Commit, Habitrol, Nicotrol TD, Nicorelief, Nicorette DS, Nicotrol NS, ProStep
Ask a Question
Further Information
Related Condition Support Groups
Smoking Cessation, Toxic Reactions Incl Drug and Substance Abuse
