It is always important to know what is going on in the world of COPD/Asthma, hence a weekly (at the minimum) posting of ‘Notes to Know about COPD/Asthma’ – because those of us battling the issue should always be up to date on what is going on, and that includes both the positives and the negatives of the COPD/Asthma life.

Our posting today will hit home for many who not only are fighting the battle of COPD/Asthma, but are also fighting an addiction to the smoking habit that most likely put them in the condition they are in.

For those wanting to quit but have not found a suitable way to do it, this post may be for you as it talks about a possible change in previous thoughts regarding whether meds used to help quit the nasty habit are safe for those with current lung diseases.

Special Note – While I do not and for the most part never have smoked, except for those few times before being clean and sober that I would get really, really drunk, I know that my current battle with late Stage III COPD is partially compliments of many individuals and places that allowed smoking as part of a daily routine.

With that, read on and see if not you – maybe someone you know – can relate to this read about being able to safely use a quit-smoking drug while already battling a lung disease.

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Study Finds – Quit-Smoking Drug Safe for Patients with a Lung Disease!!

Posting was written on May 10, 2017 and the source was the University of Edinburgh and the Science Daily.

To summarize the short story itself:  Medication that helps smokers to quit is safe for use by people with chronic lung conditions according to new research.

The Story:

Medication that helps smokers to quit is safe for use by people with chronic lung conditions, research suggests.

Experts say smokers with smoking-related diseases should be prescribed the drug to stop their illness from progressing.

Doctors have previously been reticent to give the drug to these patients because of reported links to heart disease and depression.

Researchers say they found no evidence of such a link and that concerns are unwarranted.

Varenicline is the most effective medication to help smokers quit, but previous reports have suggested that users may be more likely to suffer a heart attack.

The drug — also known as Champix™ or Chantix™ — has also been linked to depression, self-harm and suicide.

A study of more than 14,000 people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, or COPD, found that those using the drug were no more likely to suffer a heart attack than those using nicotine replacement therapies.

Treatment did not affect their risk of depression or self-harm either, researchers say.

COPD is a group of lung conditions that are usually associated with tobacco smoking, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The diseases are caused by damage to the lungs that results in severe breathing difficulties and a persistent cough.

More than a million people in the UK are affected by COPD and cases are rising. The costs of treating the condition are expected to top £2.5 billion by 2030.

The study was led by researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh and Dusseldorf and is published in Thorax.

Professor Aziz Sheikh, Co-Director of the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Medical Informatics, said: “Varenicline is a highly effective anti-smoking drug so it is reassuring that our findings have confirmed that it is safe for use in patients with COPD.”

Professor Daniel Kotz, from the Institute of General Practice of the Heinrich-Heine-University Dusseldorf, said: “COPD is irreversible and worsens with time. The only proven way to stop the illness from progressing is to quit tobacco smoking.”

Journal Reference:

Daniel Kotz, Wolfgang Viechtbauer, Colin R Simpson, Onno C P van Schayck, Robert West, Aziz Sheikh. Cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric risks of varenicline and bupropion in smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Thorax, 2017; thoraxjnl-2017-210067 DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2017-210067

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‘Notes to Know about COPD/Asthma’ will continue to feature writings from medical folks and caretakers who share insights into the world of what may be going on in the world of COPD/Asthma.  ‘Notes to Know about COPD/Asthma’ can be found at either wheezingaway.com or within the Facebook page, COPD Travels.

Remember – ‘a person without good breathing, is a person without a good life’, so let’s do what we can, to learn what we can, to improve what we can.

I bid to all – smiles, prayers, blessings and steady breathing – Mr. William.

(Copyright@2017, CrossDove Writer through wheezingaway.com – no part of this write may be used or copied without written permission.)

NOTES: Sometimes we share what may seem like medical information, but we are only giving descriptions and highlights of various aspects of having COPD and/or asthma and no way do we ever want our information to be considered medical treatment type of information, always consult your physician for more, clearer and more medical founded information.