Search Results for: smoking

Smokers are more likely to experience problems after total hip or knee replacement surgeries than their non-smoking peers, according to a new study from New York University’s Langone Medical Center. The study found that patients who quit smoking before undergoing a joint replacement procedure had better surgical outcomes and were less likely to require follow-up ...click here to read more

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), smoking and excess weight reduces the improvement of symptoms brought on by treatment. Senior investigator Vivian Bykerk explained, “Early, aggressive treatment to achieve remission is the primary goal of therapy and can be best achieved early on when treating patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis, as early disease control is associated ...click here to read more

Fibrosis in heart and kidneys increases with smoking, according to research findings. In addition, smoking can worsen already existing kidney disease. Fibrosis, which is scarring of organ tissue, can negatively impact the function of the affected organ. The researchers conducted their study on two groups of rats: One with normal kidney function and the other ...click here to read more

Researchers have found that smoking in diabetes can take years off patients’ life. The study found that diabetic smokers are twice as likely to die prematurely, compared to smokers without diabetes. Dr. Joel Zonszein commented, “Smoking is bad for all, but even more in those with diabetes.” Not only was the risk of mortality higher ...click here to read more

A new study has found that black Americans have the highest risk of diabetes if they smoke a pack of cigarettes or more a day. Research lead Wendy White explained, “Smoking cessation should be strongly encouraged in blacks with risk factors for diabetes.” The researchers tracked health outcomes of nearly 3,000 black Americans. During the ...click here to read more

Graphic cigarette labels depicting the health consequences of smoking could help cut down on the numbers of smokers in the U.S. The study suggests these labels could save up to 650,000 lives, along with preventing premature births and low weight babies by the year 2065. Study author David Levy explained, “By any standard, this would ...click here to read more

Depression after a heart attack can be quite common, but exercise and smoking cessation can help reduce the risk. Psychiatrist Dr. Manuela Abreu explained, “Depression is almost three times more common in people who have had a heart attack than in those who haven’t. Cardiac rehabilitation with aerobic exercise can reduce depressive symptoms and improve ...click here to read more

Schizophrenia is linked to an increased intensity of tobacco smoking, with low smoking cessation rates among schizophrenic patients, compared to the general population. Researcher and lead author of the study Stéphane Potvin said, “Smoking is a real problem for people with schizophrenia. Their health and life expectancy are often undermined by this addiction, whose brain ...click here to read more

Cognitive decline in old age has been linked to smoking and heavy drinking. Smoking is becoming an increasingly common risk factor for dementia, so the researchers examined the association between smoking history and cognitive decline from midlife to older age. Data was collected from 5,099 men and 2,137 women with an average age of 56. ...click here to read more

Although smoking has been tied to shorter life expectancy in general, it has particularly negative effects on people with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). There is currently no cure for ALS, though researchers have identified numerous risk factors including genes, age, and underlying health issues. A recent study examined the link between tobacco and ALS. The ...click here to read more

Smoking causes the heart wall to thicken, which contributes to heart failure. When the walls of the heart become thick, the heart’s ability to properly pump out blood reduces. Over time, this leads to heart damage and, essentially, heart failure. The researchers looked at the hearts of 4,580 Americans who did not have any obvious ...click here to read more

More American adults are smoking marijuana than ever before. Over 13 percent of American adults surveyed in 2014 said they used marijuana in the previous year. That is a 10 percent increase since 2002. Daily use of marijuana rose as well from less than two percent to four percent. Lead study author Dr. Wilson Compton said, “This ...click here to read more

September is National Cholesterol Education Month, so we present a selection of articles discussing cholesterol and other conditions that can affect its levels, including testosterone, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, prostate cancer, HDL cholesterol, and smoking. Controlling cholesterol levels is important as a way of preventing cardiovascular events. The articles below discuss effective ways to lower your ...click here to read more

Smoking after Crohn’s disease surgery increases the risk of relapse. More than half of Crohn’s disease patients will undergo surgery to remove affected areas of the bowel. Surgery is not a cure for Crohn’s disease, and relapses are quite common. The study involved 240 Crohn’s disease patients who were followed for three years after bowel ...click here to read more