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Question:
Does quitting
after years of smoking actually decrease your chances of getting lung
cancer, or has the damage already been done?
Response:
Quitting smoking
greatly reduces a person's risk of developing lung cancer, and the
risk keeps decreasing the longer a person refrains from smoking. Smoking
is the most important risk factor for lung cancer. More than 80% of
lung cancers is thought to be caused by smoking. If you stop smoking,
the risk of developing lung cancer gradually declines until, at 10
years, the risk is 30-50% less than for a person who continues to
smoke.
Smoking is also
a risk factor for other cancers. The risk of developing cancers of
the mouth, throat, and esophagus decreases significantly 5 years after
quitting. The risk of developing bladder cancer and cancer of the
cervix also decreases after just a few years of being smoke-free.
Besides lowering
the risk of cancer, quitting smoking has many more health benefits.
The smoker's heart rate and blood pressure, which are usually high
while smoking, begin to return to normal. Within a few days of quitting,
the smoker's sense of taste and smell return, and breathing becomes
easier. Quitters also reduce their risk of developing infections like
pneumonia. After 10-15 years, a previous smoker's risk of death approaches
that of a person who never smoked.
People who want
to stop smoking should ask their doctor about the method that is best
for them.
-
Medscape Health
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The tips below
will help to reduce medicine-related problems:
Tell your doctor if:
- You've ever had an
allergic reaction, and to what
- You
are pregnant or breast-feeding
- Another doctor is
also treating you
- You have diabetes
or kidney or liver disease
- You use alcohol,
tobacco, or "street drugs"
- Have your doctor
keep a record of all the medicines you take. This includes over-the-counter
(OTC) items like vitamins, aspirins, laxatives, etc., as well
as any medicine another doctor has prescribed.
- Ask your doctor to
tell you what a medicine is for, when you should take it, and
for how long. Find out, too, if it should be taken in a special
way, i.e., with food or plenty of water. Write these things down
so you don't forget what the doctor says.
- Use the same pharmacy
to buy prescriptions as well as over-the-counter medications.
This way, a complete record of your medicines can be kept in one
place. This is especially important if more than one doctor has
been writing your prescriptions. Your pharmacist can also spot
possible harmful combinations of medicines, and food-and-medication
interactions.
- Ask your pharmacists
to clearly mark each vial with all necessary instructions.
- Always keep medicines
in their original containers.
- Let your doctor know
about your past reactions to certain medicines. Tolerance levels
may change with age. For instance, as some people age, they may
show greater sensitivity to some medications such as painkillers
or tranquilizers.
- Ask about the possible
side effects of a medication. If you do experience some, call
your physician and find out what you should do. Often, just a
change in dosage is all that is needed.
- Don't drink alcohol
while on a medication if you don't know its effect. Regular alcohol
use can speed up the metabolism of certain medicines, reducing
their intended effectiveness. Some medicines, such as sedatives,
can become deadly when used with alcohol.
- Never take someone
else's medication.
- Throw away all medications
that have expired.
- Try to reduce the
need for medications, such as sleeping pills or laxatives. For
example, a hot bath and a glass of milk might help you sleep at
night. Changing your diet to increase your fiber intake might
replace the need for a laxative. Check with your doctor for non-medical
alternatives.
- Don't stop taking
medications your doctor has prescribed, even if you feel better.
Check with your doctor first.
- American
Institute for Preventive Medicine
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