N E W S

Vol 16, No. 1      LINCARE is a National Supplier of Home
Winter '04          Oxygen and Respiratory Therapy Services

Inhaled Steroids May Slow COPD
Use of Inhaled Steroids May Help Preserve Lung Function

Oct. 30, 2003- Treating people with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) with inhaled steroids may help slow the loss of lung function caused by the disease by up to 30%.

Researchers say the use of inhaled steroids in COPD treatment is controversial but the results of a new study show that long-term use of the drugs may help slow the progression of the disease.

COPD is an irreversible disease that gradually causes the lungs to deteriorate, making it progressively difficult to breathe. Smoking is almost always the cause of COPD.

Although the effect of inhaled steroids on reducing the rate of lung decline is much less than the effect of quitting smoking, researchers say many people with COPD refuse to stop smoking and may benefit from use of inhaled steroids.

Inhaled Steroids Stall Lung Decline

The study of more than 3,700 patients with COPD looked at the results of eight

clinical trials on the use of inhaled steroids for more than two years. The study appears in the November issue of the journal Thorax.

Researchers found that use of the drugs slowed the rate of decline in a major measure of lung function known as forced expiratory volume (FEV), which is the amount of air a person can exhale in one second.

Compared with people not taking inhaled steroids, nonsmokers with COPD taking the drugs for at least two years experienced a 26% to 33% lower rate of lung decline smokers had a 13% to 17% reduction. Higher doses of the drugs were associated with greater benefits.

In comparison, smoking cessation is associated with a 50% reduction in lung deterioration in people with COPD.

But researchers found those who continued to smoke during COPD treatment with inhaled steroids still reaped some of the benefits of the drugs.

WebMD Medical News

Protect Your Heart by ADDING Great Food

The New Year always starts with good intentions. In fact, January is the unofficial "I'll Start A Diet Today" month. After the usual holiday weight gain of 2 to 4 pounds, it is dieting by deprivation. Failure often results this type of dieting. Food loneliness will only intensify urges.

We all want to live healthier, so here is a great way to start. It is diet by addition, adding foods that are protective to the heart and blood vessels. Think of 2004 as getting high-octane fuel for your heart ­ fuel that burns healthy for your entire body. Just start eating with awareness by adding the following foods to your daily meal plan. This New Year's Resolution will be successful!

FOODS THAT PROTECT THE HEART:

SOY, ANY TYPE, FULL FAT: Get 25 grams per day to reduce cholesterol. Be careful not to buy reduced fat soy products ­ you want Omega-3 fats in your soy.

FIBER: The latest recommendation: Less than age 50 years, men 38 g and women 25 g. Over age 50, men 30 g and women 21 g.

NUTS: 1/4 cup per day of almonds, pecans, walnuts, or soy nuts. All dry roasted.

GARLIC: 2 to 3 cloves of fresh garlic a day to help lower cholesterol. Cooking destroys the beneficial properties.

GRAPES, WINE: The darker the grape and the darker the wine, the more anti-oxidants. Maximum: 1 to 2 glasses per day.

FISH: High in Omega-3 fats that are protective to the heart. But be careful here, research on the amount of fish you should eat is conflicting. Check with a health care professional.

TEA: Green tea, 2 to 3 cups per day. Loaded with anti-oxidants.

COOK WITH COLOR: White food is generally processed ­ flour, rice, pasta, sugar. Colorful foods have the anti-oxidants: orange, red, green, and yellow.

Previous page     Next page