OU Study Finds Statins Lows Lung Damage In Smokers

Tuesday, October 24th 2006, 10:02 am

By: News On 6

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Researchers at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center say a drug currently used to control cholesterol shows promise in reducing lung damage in smokers.

Doctor Walid Younis says the study is the first to show statin drugs may decrease the rate of lung damage in both smokers and former smokers. He says until now no medication has been proven to reduce smoking-induced lung damage.

Younis presented the findings in Salt Lake City at the annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians.

Younis warns though that while long-term statin therapy may slow down or reduce the progression of lung diseases they do not prevent smokers from getting lung cancer.