Perhaps less well known is the fact that smoking causes blindness. Smokers and people who have smoked are three times more likely to develop macular degeneration.

The potentially serious adverse effects of smoking on our eyesight and the possible benefits of diet and exercise are just some of the messages to come from the recent Macular Degeneration Awareness Week.

Macular degeneration (MD) – sometimes known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) because of its high prevalence in older people – is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in Australia and other Western countries.

It is the name given to a group of diseases of the retina which cause progressive, painless loss of central vision. Thus the ability to see fine detail, drive, read and recognise faces is slowly but surely lost.

Presently there is no cure for AMD; and treatments to delay or stop its progression have met with limited success. As AMD is so common (one in seven people over the age of 50 is affected) there is increasing interest in identifying risk factors which, when modified, may reduce the chance of getting AMD, or stop the condition becoming worse when it does occur.

A family history of macular degeneration gives us a 50% chance of developing the disease. We can’t do too much to change our parents, so a regular and frequent check up by the eye specialist is important for early diagnosis.

On the other hand, something we can address is a commitment to become a non-smoker. Many studies have clearly demonstrated the link between smoking and AMD.

There is ongoing debate about the relationship between AMD and obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels; but research strongly suggest that diet is significant.

There’s probably still some doubt as to whether eating your crusts makes your hair grow curly. But there’s no doubt the advice we got from our mums and grandmums with respect to vegetables was pretty accurate.

In particular the likelihood is that the pigments beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin found in carrots, pumpkin, corn and some green leafy vegetables are beneficial. Other antioxidants of interest include vitamins A and E and the trace elements zinc and selenium.

Proprietary preparations containing these substances are now available, but the use of anti-oxidants in high doses is not without risk. Beta-carotene has been found to increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers; and vitamin E has been associated with an increased risk of heart failure in people with diabetes or disease affecting circulation. Check with your pharmacist before you choose a specific product.

On the other hand, there is evidence that fish oil (containing so-called omega-3 fatty acids) might provide protection against AMD. So, the Macular Degeneration Foundation advises eating fish two or three times a week, eating dark-green leafy vegetables and fresh fruit, eating a handful of nuts once a week and protecting your eyes from sunlight exposure; and of course, if you’re a smoker, then quit! You can get more good advice from the Foundation at www.mdfoundation.com.au And you can access a copy of their new publication Slips, Trips and Falls, a guide for people with low vision on how to avoid them.

Also, pharmacies around Australia providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information have a fact card titled Vision Impairment. The card gives details about not only AMD but also glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and refractive error.

To locate the Self Care pharmacy nearest you, log on to the Pharmaceutical Society (PSA) website at www.psa.org.au and click on “self care pharmacy finder”. Or phone PSA on 1 300 369 772

©2010 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

There would hardly be a man, woman or even child in Australia who doesn’t know about the dangers of smoking.

And this awareness has led to a slow but steady reduction in prevalence rates for smoking. The latest figures available show that around 17% of all Australians now smoke – down only a couple of percentage points in the last few years, but down almost 7% since the early 1990’s.

In Australia, there are still more male smokers than female, however, amongst teenagers, more girls smoke than boys. This, sadly, seems to be a worldwide trend. Women now comprise 20% of the world’s one billion smokers. The problem has now reached such proportions that the World Health Organization (WHO) has given overdue recognition to this epidemic of tobacco smoking amongst women with the theme this year for World No Tobacco Day (31 May) “Gender and Tobacco” and an emphasis on the way cigarettes are marketed to women.

Protecting women from a lifetime of dependence on nicotine can stop the increasing prevalence amongst women of crippling and often fatal heart attacks, strokes, cancers and lung diseases.

We know that smoking is most likely the greatest single preventable cause of death and disease in the world. Even passive smoking – inhaling someone else’s second hand smoke – is a major problem. So why would anyone still be a smoker?

Well, there are probably many reasons why people begin to smoke – peer pressure is a particularly relevant factor in young women – and the reality is, once you start smoking it’s mighty hard to stop. Nearly two thirds of smokers would like to stop smoking, but fewer than 1 in 20 people who try to quit will actually remain non-smokers after three months.

Up until recently, it was thought that stopping smoking completely – either cold turkey or with the help of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) – was the best way to ensure becoming a long term non-smoker. But this “quick stop” method doesn’t suit everyone.

The “cut down then stop” (CDTS) method has now been given the official seal of approval. Evidence has shown that reducing the number of cigarettes smoked with the assistance of NRT, makes it easier for some heavily addicted smokers to ultimately quit completely.

Also, the simultaneous use of more than one nicotine replacement therapy product used not to be considered appropriate. But experience has shown that some smokers who continue to have cravings with single therapy, or those who have quit in the past and then relapsed, will benefit and become long term quitters by using the patches and gum together.

NRT can be a useful tool for just about everybody to assist with smoking cessation; that is everybody regardless of age, sex or medical history; and using NRT to quit is always safer than continuing to smoke.

There are many myths and misconceptions about the effects of nicotine and NRT. Make sure you get the facts and the right advice on what products will suit you best. Ask for the fact cards on Smoking and Staying a Non-smoker from one of the pharmacies around Australia providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information. Phone 1300 369 772 or check out the website at www.psa.org.au for the nearest location.

And if you want some more encouragement to stop smoking, have a look at the posters on the World No Tobacco Day 2010 website. “Being sexy, chic and glamorous is no throat cancer, no mouth cancer and no gangrene; and being tobacco free is a woman’s right”.

©2010 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

No doubt also gone is all that cold turkey remaining with some of the other left-overs from Christmas dinner or New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Of course, cold turkey is one of the strategies used to fulfil one of the more common New Year’s resolutions – that is: to quit smoking.

As with all lifestyle and behaviour changes such as exercising more, drinking in moderation and modifying our diet, being able to stop smoking can be really difficult at the best of times. During January when parties or paying bills (or both) make life especially stressful, these kinds of resolutions can be really hard to keep.

Nevertheless, when it comes to smoking, any time is a good time to quit; and it’s never too late. Recent studies have shown that for smokers who quit at age 50 the risk of a tobacco related death is reduced by about two thirds; and for those who stop before middle age the risk is little more than for non-smokers.

Now less than 20% of the Australian adult population smokes; and a significant proportion of this 20% would like to join the other 80% non-smokers. No surprise really that many (maybe most) would quit if they could. We all know the dangers of tobacco smoking.

However, becoming and staying a non-smoker doesn’t happen by accident. Smokers who plan before they quit are significantly more successful than those who don’t; and planning can be done quickly and easily. The decision to quit must be yours and yours alone, but to help you plan for long term success you should enlist the support of family and friends. Your pharmacist can also offer you valuable support.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) could be an option worth considering. These nicotine substitutes help to treat the withdrawal symptoms and cravings which can make it so difficult to quit.

When you do stop smoking, your body will most likely still have a need for nicotine – the addictive component of cigarettes – and this is what creates the urge to smoke again. By taking nicotine in a “clean form” – that is without the dangerous carbon monoxide and tar ingredients – the physical withdrawal symptoms are reduced, allowing you to focus your energies on breaking the smoking habit.

The effectiveness of NRT in aiding cessation is well established and is supported by the highest level of clinical evidence. Nevertheless, some people have concerns – unfounded concerns – about the continued use of nicotine to help smokers quit.

The reality is using NRT to quit is always safer than smoking.

Four NRT products are currently available in Australia: patches, gum, inhaler and lozenges. All these medications are now available from pharmacies without prescription; and two prescription-only products (bupropion and varenicline) may also be useful for some smokers who want to become committed quitters.

To help you quit for good, your pharmacist can help you choose the most appropriate product.

For more self help strategies have a look at the fact cards titled Smoking and Staying a Non-smoker available at all Self Care pharmacies. Call 1 300 369 772 for the nearest location or visit the Pharmaceutical Society website at www.psa.org.au and click on Self Care Pharmacy Finder.

©2010 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

April 25 is World Malaria Day.

Creative Commons licensed image

Malaria was once much more widespread, but it was successfully eliminated from many countries with temperate climates during the mid 20th century. With long term warmer weather apparently creeping southwards from the equator and insects becoming frequent flyers by hitching a ride on international airlines, countries like Australia might again become high risk areas.

Malaria is a life threatening parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes; specifically the female of the Anopheles family of mosquitoes. Currently it affects mainly people living in the poorer countries. Ninety percent of deaths due to malaria occur in Africa south of the Sahara, mostly among young children. Malaria kills an African child every 30 seconds.

Before the real cause of malaria was discovered in the 1880s, the disease was thought to emanate from the dank smell and dampness of field marshes – hence the name: mal aria or “bad air”.

So, bad air has nothing to do with malaria, but bad air that we personally produce results in many more deaths. It’s the cigarette smoke filled air we inhale that causes so much damage. In fact tobacco smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable disease in the world. Even passive smoking – inhaling someone else’s second hand smoke has been proven to be a problem.

There would hardly be a man, woman or even child in Australia who doesn’t know about the dangers of smoking. So why would anyone still be a smoker?

There are probably many reasons why people begin to smoke – peer pressure is a particularly relevant factor in young women – and the reality is, once you start smoking it’s mighty hard to stop. Nearly two thirds of smokers would like to stop smoking, but fewer than 1 in 20 people who try to quit will actually remain non-smokers after three months.

The problem, therefore, is not just beginning the quit process, but staying the distance as a non-smoker. If you are one of those thousands of Australians who want to stop smoking; if you’re very willing, pretty much ready and just wanting to be enabled to quit for good, then there are some new strategies which might make your job a whole lot easier.

Recent research, published in the British Medical Journal, has shown the benefits of a gradual reduction in smoking before quitting for good. This “cut down then quit” method may suit some smokers who find it hard to stay a non-smoker. The combination of patches an gum together may be what some smokers need to prevent the cravings; and a new mini lozenge is now available with a quicker release of nicotine.

As well, it is now recognised that nicotine replacement therapy can be a useful tool for just about everybody to assist with smoking cessation; that is everybody regardless of age, sex or medical history. We know that using nicotine replacement therapy to quit is always safer than continuing to smoke.

There are many myths and misconceptions about the effects of nicotine and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Make sure you get the facts and the right advice on what products will suit you best. Ask for the fact cards on Smoking and Staying a Non-smoker from one of the pharmacies around Australia providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information. Phone 1300 369 772 or check out the website at www.psa.org.au for the nearest location. May 31 each year is designated by WHO as World No Tobacco Day. Maybe it’s a good time to consider quitting for good and clearing your personal air space.

©2009 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

Perhaps less well known is the fact that smoking causes blindness. Smokers and people who have smoked are three times more likely to develop macular degeneration.

The potentially serious adverse effects of smoking on our eyesight and the possible benefits of diet and exercise are just some of the messages to come from the recent Macular Degeneration Awareness Week.

Macular degeneration (MD) – sometimes known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) because of its high prevalence in older people – is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in Australia and other Western countries.

It is the name given to a group of diseases of the retina which cause progressive, painless loss of central vision. Thus the ability to see fine detail, drive, read and recognise faces is slowly but surely lost.

Presently there is no cure for AMD; and treatments to delay or stop its progression have met with limited success. As AMD is so common (one in seven people over the age of 50 is affected) there is increasing interest in identifying risk factors which, when modified, may reduce the chance of getting AMD, or stop the condition becoming worse when it does occur.

A family history of macular degeneration gives us a 50% chance of developing the disease. We can’t do too much to change our parents, so a regular and frequent check up by an eye specialist is important for early diagnosis.

On the other hand, something we can address is a commitment to become a non-smoker. Many studies have clearly demonstrated the link between smoking and AMD.

There is ongoing debate about the relationship between AMD and obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels; but research from the University of Wisconsin in the US strongly suggest that diet is significant.

There’s probably still some doubt as to whether eating your crusts makes your hair grow curly. But there’s no doubt the advice we got from our mums and grandmums with respect to vegetables was pretty accurate.

In particular the likelihood is that the pigments beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin found in carrots, pumpkin, corn and some green leafy vegetables are beneficial.

Other antioxidants of interest include vitamins A and E and the trace elements zinc and selenium. Proprietary preparations containing these substances are now available, but the use of antioxidants in high doses is not without risk.

The Macular Degeneration Foundation advises eating fish two or three times a week, eating dark green leafy vegetables and fresh fruit, eating a handful of nuts once a week and protecting your eyes from sunlight exposure; of course, if you’re a smoker, quit!

Pharmacies around Australia providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information have a new fact card titled Vision Impairment. The card gives details about not only AMD but also glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and refractive error.

Phone the Pharmaceutical Society on 1300 369 772 for the Self Care pharmacy nearest you where you can also get advice on the suitability of an antioxidant supplement.

©2008 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

However, with the stress that often accompanies the period around Christmas and New Year, a decision to stop smoking at that time is often difficult to keep.

So, May 31 is another opportunity. Each year it’s designated worldwide as World No Tobacco Day; and it could be a good time to make your personal world smoke-free.

Up until a year or so ago, it was thought that stopping smoking completely – either cold turkey or with the help of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) – was the best way to ensure becoming a long term non-smoker. But this “quick stop” method doesn’t suit everyone.

The “cut down then stop” (CDTS) method has now been given the official seal of approval. Recent evidence has shown that reducing the number of cigarettes smoked with the assistance of NRT, makes it easier for some heavily addicted smokers to ultimately quit completely.

There would hardly be a man, woman or even child in Australia who doesn’t know about the dangers of smoking.

And this awareness has led to a slow but steady reduction in prevalence rates for smoking. The latest figures available show that just over 17% of all Australians now smoke – down only a couple of percentage points in the last few years, but down almost 7% since the early 1990’s.

There are still more male smokers than female, however, amongst teenagers, more girls smoke than boys.

Smoking is arguably the greatest single preventable cause of death and disease in the world. Even passive smoking – inhaling someone else’s second hand smoke – is a major problem. So why would anyone still be a smoker?

Well, there are probably many reasons why people begin to smoke – peer pressure is a particularly relevant factor in young women – and the reality is, once you start smoking it’s mighty hard to stop. Nearly two thirds of smokers would like to stop smoking, but fewer than 1 in 20 people who try to quit will actually remain non-smokers after three months.

The problem, therefore, is not just beginning the quit process, but staying the distance as a non-smoker. If you are one of those thousands of Australians who want to stop smoking; if you’re very willing, pretty much ready and just wanting to be enabled to quit for good, then these new strategies might make your job a whole lot easier.

Also, Nicorette brand of patches and gum has been approved for use as combination therapy. Previously the simultaneous use of more than one nicotine replacement therapy product was not considered appropriate. But experience has shown that some smokers who continue to have cravings with single therapy, or those who have quit in the past and then relapsed, will benefit and become long term quitters by using the patches and gum together.

As well, legislators have now recognised that nicotine replacement therapy can be a useful tool for just about everybody to assist with smoking cessation; that is everybody regardless of age, sex or medical history.

Up until recently we were reluctant to offer NRT to adolescents, pregnant or breast-feeding women and people with heart and blood vessel disease. But in fact, using nicotine replacement therapy to quit is always safer than continuing to smoke.

There are many myths and misconceptions about the effects of nicotine and NRT. Make sure you get the facts and the right advice on what products will suit you best. Ask for the fact cards on Smoking and Staying a Non-smoker from one of the pharmacies around Australia providing the Pharmaceutical Society’s Self Care health information. Phone 1300 369 772 or check out the website at www.psa.org.au for the nearest location.

©2008 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

No surprise really that many (maybe most) smokers would quit if they could. We all know the dangers of tobacco smoking. Despite the prevalence of smoking in Australia being amongst the lowest of any nation in the world, smoking still causes the highest burden of disease of any behavioural risk factor.

Smoking causes the death of about 16,000 Australians every year, and contributes to stroke, heart and blood vessel disease, impotence, osteoporosis, and cancer of the mouth, lung, stomach, pancreas, bladder and cervix.

If you’re committed to quit, a new form of medication may be just what you need to assist with the quitting process. Varenicline, (marketed under the brand name Champix) has been specially designed to compete with nicotine at so-called receptor sites in the brain. The medication thus prevents what is known as the pleasure and reward response from smoking.

Varenicline is now listed as a Pharmaceutical Benefit (PBS) prescription and your doctor will be able to tell you if or how you qualify for the government subsidy.

Nevertheless, varenicline is not suitable for everyone. There have been reports from the United States of depressed mood, agitation, changes in behaviour and with suicidal tendencies in people attempting to quit smoking using varenicline.

The significance of these reports is yet to be determined. Meanwhile, the use of varenicline in people with an underlying psychiatric illness is not recommended.

Bupropion (Zyban) is another non-nicotine oral therapy which reduces the urge to smoke and reduces the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Bupropion was originally developed as an antidepressant and has been available in Australia as a PBS prescription item since 2001.

The third of the “first-line” options to help with smoking cessation is nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). The aim of NRT is to reduce the withdrawal symptoms by providing some of the nicotine that would normally be obtained from cigarettes, without providing the harmful components of tobacco smoke.

Recently, there are have been changes in Australia to the way NRT is approved for use – changes which should give us greater confidence in the safety and effectiveness of this form of quit support.

Now more than one form of NRT can be used together: for example, nicotine patch and nicotine gum. All forms of NRT can be used by people with heart and blood vessel disease. NRT can be used by pregnant or breastfeeding smokers. And all forms of NRT can be used by smokers from 12 years of age.

Most importantly it’s been established that using NRT to quit is always safer than continuing to smoke.

While quitting completely is by far the best option, new research suggests that reducing the number of cigarettes smoked with the help of NRT is a good first step for many smokers. It’s called the “cut down then stop” method.

At this time of year, when parties or paying bills, or both, make life especially stressful, New Year’s resolutions involving behaviour change can be particularly difficult to keep. But any time is a good time to stop smoking; and it’s never too late.

So, if you think cold turkey is just something to eat along with all those other Christmas left-overs, your pharmacist can help you choose a suitable smoking cessation strategy.

Also, for extra advice, you could check out the Staying a Non-Smoker Fact Card available from all Self Care Pharmacies. Phone the Pharmaceutical Society on 1 300 369 772 for the nearest location.

©2008 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia