Research continues to reveal dangers in conventional COPD treatments

Insult to Injury

Heart disease, cancer, and stroke are the three leading causes of death in the U.S. Can you name the health condition that comes in at number four?

Three hints:

• It’s an incurable disease (although treatment can ease symptoms considerably)
• As many as 15 million Americans may suffer from this disease
• Smoking is the cause of more than 90 percent of all cases

If you guessed “emphysema” you’re on the right track. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, or any combination of the three.

COPD’s death toll is staggering. According to the World Health Organization, almost three million patients die of COPD-related complications each year. But a 2003 review of more than 300,000 UK death certificates concluded that that the actual yearly toll may be closer to five million because many COPD deaths are inaccurately attributed to pneumonia and other causes.

Adding insult to injury, a new study shows that a common COPD medication may sharply increase pneumonia risk – a cruel double jeopardy.

If it’s not one, it’s the other

In the e-Alert “Breath Taking & Giving” (10/8/08), I told you about a Wake Forest University School of Medicine study in which researchers screened nearly 20 trials that tested inhaled anticholinergic (IAC) medication in about 15,000 subjects.

Results showed that use of popular IACs increased the risk of heart attack by more than 50 percent, and increased the risk of cardiovascular death by 80 percent. Risk of stroke was also considerably higher as well.

Just two months later we have another COPD study, and the news from this one is nearly as bad.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University reviewed 11 COPD studies that compared inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use to IAC use. Results showed no difference in all-cause mortality at one year. But ICS therapy was liked to “significantly higher incidence of pneumonia.”

The lead Hopkins researcher – Dr. M. Bradley Drummond – told HeathDay News that about 7.5 million COPD patients use ICS: “You’re looking at six million people who may be exposed to this 34 percent increase in risk.”

Antioxidant rescue

Heart attack? Pneumonia? What’s a COPD patient to do?

Two things.

1) In the e-Alert “Breath Taking & Giving” you’ll find detailed information about nebulized, inhaled glutathione, which alternative medicine pioneer Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., calls “the No. 1 natural treatment for COPD in my practice.” Dr. Wright also provides tips on indispensable supplements for an optimal COPD treatment regimen.

2) HSI members can check their January 2009 issue of the HSI Members Alert for an article written by Managing Editor, Melissa Hickle. The title of her article says it all: “Reverse the effects of COPD with a miracle food you’re already eating for dinner tonight!”

Melissa explains the role that oxidative stress plays in COPD: “Oxidative stress leads to the biggest concern with COPD: preventing bacterial infection. Most COPD patients end up with infection in the lungs, and that’s what can be deadly.

“If you wipe out the toxins and ease the inflammation, breathing gets better and there’s less chance of infection. It’s all about activating a special group of antioxidants.

“Scientists have known for a while now about a gene called NRF2. This gene controls a group of antioxidants that are key components in the lungs’ defense system against inflammatory injury (such as COPD). The count of these antioxidants goes down as the severity of COPD goes up.”

As HSI members already know, the Members Alert is an excellent resource for cutting edge information about alternative healthcare. Learn how you can be among the first to find out about the latest groundbreaking advances that the mainstream media routinely ignores.

Sources:
“Inhaled Corticosteroids in Patients With Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease” Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 300, No. 20, 11/26/08, jama.ama-assn.org
“Steroid Inhalers Raise Pneumonia Risk for Lung Disease Patients” HealthDay News, 11/25/08, nlm.nih.gov
“Reverse the effects of COPD with a miracle food you’re already eating for dinner tonight!” Melissa Hickle, HSI Members Alert, January 2009, hsionline.com