Smoking, hypertension named leading stroke risk factors

Hypertension, smoking and other changeable factors may account for about 50% of all strokes, according to researchers.
"Data suggests that half of all strokes in patients 55 years and over might theoretically be prevented by optimal treatment or elimination of hypertension, smoking, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation, coronary disease, and overweight/obesity,” said researchers in a study published by PLOS Medicine.
In order to estimate the proportion of strokes that could theoretically be prevented by eliminating some factors from the population, Michiel J. Bos, MD and colleagues from the Eramus Medical Center assessed the population attributable risks for factors individually and in combination. To examine the potentially modifiable etiological factors occurring in stroke, researchers surveyed 6,844 patients.
During a mean follow-up of 12.9 years, researchers identified 1,020 strokes. The combined PAR was .51 for pre-hypertension/hypertension, smoking, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation, coronary diseases, and obesity, after adjusting for age and gender.
Hypertension and smoking were the most important etiological factors. The total PAR was raised by .06 by the combination of C-reactive protein, fruit and vegetable consumption and carotid intima-media thickness.
The PARs for ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke were .55 and .70, respectively.
"About half of all strokes are attributable to established causal and modifiable factors," wrote the authors. "This finding encourages not only intervention on established etiological factors, but also further study of less well established factors.”

Obama Administration Takes Critical Step to Help Smokers Quit and Save Lives

Today, the Obama Administration issued guidance on quit smoking benefits available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This important announcement from the Departments implementing the ACA (Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury) clarifies what treatments insurance plans should cover for quitting smoking as part of their preventive services benefit. This guidance will help to ensure that employers and insurance plans are doing everything they can to get smokers they help they need to quit.
“The American Lung Association commends the Obama Administration for today’s lifesaving announcement,” said Harold Wimmer, National President and CEO of the American Lung Association.  “Quitting is hard and the Lung Association knows that making sure everyone has access to all quit smoking medications and counseling is critical to saving lives.”
The guidance issued today defines what an appropriate comprehensive quit smoking benefit is. According to the Obama Administration, a comprehensive benefit includes coverage of:

1. All medications approved by the FDA as safe and effective for smoking cessation
2. Individual, group and phone cessation counseling
3. These quit smoking benefits should be offered at least twice a year to smokers, recognizing not everyone quits on their first try
4. Plans should not require prior authorization for these benefits

The ACA also requires that these benefits be provided at no cost to the patient – so no copays, coinsurance or deductibles should be charged.
It is crucial that each smoker who wants to quit has access to all treatments that will help. Quitting smoking is not a “one-size-fits-all” process. The American Lung Association and its partners have urged the Obama Administration to provide this guidance on quit smoking benefits since 2010.  Most recently, the Lung Association and 29 public health and medical organizations sent this letter in February 2014 calling for the Administration to clarify the benefit.
Prior to this guidance, most insurance plans have not implemented comprehensive cessation benefits. The Lung Association believes this clarification will help rectify the wide variation in how insurance companies have previously implemented this requirement in the private insurance market. One study by the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, commissioned by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, found that only four of 39 private plans analyzed covered even close to a comprehensive benefit. Also troubling, some of the plans analyzed included cost sharing for tobacco cessation treatments – something prohibited by the ACA.  Another survey in Colorado found that there has been significant variance in the ways health plans in Colorado have implemented the requirement. Interestingly, these variances were seen in the area of tobacco cessation more so than other areas of preventive services.
The recent Surgeon General’s report on smoking and health concluded that more than 42 million Americans still smoke. Today’s guidance will affect health coverage provided to all populations that smoke including those that smoke at higher rates than the general population; like low-income Americans, Medicaid expansion enrollees and Americans who were previously uninsured According to the same survey, 69 percent of current smokers in America want to quit.

Imperial Tobacco launches JPS Just Additive Free cigarettes

Imperial Tobacco has announced a new edition to the JPS portfolio with the launch of JPS Just Additive Free cigarettes. Available from April 21st 2014 in packs of King Size 19s cigarettes, JPS Just Additive Free will be positioned within the economy price sector with an RRP of £6.55.
Imperial Tobacco senior brand manager Madeleine Allen comments: “JPS Just Additive Free represents the first American blend offering within the growing economy sector and has been designed for adult smokers seeking a distinctive smoking experience and an authentic tobacco taste.”
JPS Just Additive Free cigarettes will be available exclusively, in a distinctive pack, within selected areas of the South East of England where there is a high propensity for additive free tobacco products.
Madeleine concludes: “JPS Just Additive Free cigarettes will enable retailers in this geographic area to capitalise on the economy-price sector growth opportunity with the reassurance that the JPS brand brings.”