[From Nature.com]
It appears that cholesterol drugs called statins could protect smokers lungs from some of the damage caused by smoking.
Statins are a group of drugs known for lowering cholesterol and helping to prevent heart disease. But they also seem to reduce inflammation and animal tests have suggested that they may protect the lungs.
A study from the University of Oklahoma Medical Center examined the medical records of 485 smokers and former smokers, they compared medical tests of the patients’ lung health. They found that smokers and former smokers that took statins were 35% less likely to require hospitalization or an emergency room visit for lung-related illness compared to those not taking statins. The patients who were taking statins had their lung volumes decline by just 1% each year compared with a 10% drop in the comparison group.
Statins work by blocking an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, which works to produce various fatty acid molecules, blocking this enzyme lowers cholesterol levels. It also reduces the concentration of molecules that promote inflammation from irritants such as smoke.
This needs to be now tested in a rigorous randomized clinical trial. It is important to note that statins will never be as good as quitting smoking altogether. The drugs may be used to help protect smokers’ lungs against diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a few studies are already testing this idea.
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