E-cigarette use rising among teens

Current e-cigarette use among middle and high

school students tripled from 2013 to 2014, according to data published by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and
Drug Administrations Center for Tobacco Products.
Findings from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco
Survey show that current e-cigarette use (use on
at least one day in the past 30 days) among high
school students increased from 4.5 percent in 2013
to 13.4 percent in 2014, rising from approximately
660,000 to 2 million students.
Among middle school students, current e-cigarette use more than tripled from 1.1 percent in 2013
to 3.9 percent in 2014 an increase from approximately 120,000 to 450,000 students.
This is the rst time since the survey started
collecting data on e-cigarettes in 2011 that current
e-cigarette use has surpassed current use of every
other tobacco product overall, including conventional cigarettes.
We want parents to know that nicotine is dangerous for kids at any age, whether its an e-cigarette, hookah, cigarette or cigar, said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden. Adolescence is a critical
time for brain development. Nicotine exposure at a
young age may cause lasting harm to brain development, promote addiction, and lead to sustained
tobacco use.
Hookah smoking roughly doubled for middle

and high school students, while cigarette use declined among high school students and remained
unchanged for middle school students.
Overall rates of any tobacco product use were
24.6 percent for high school students and 7.7 percent for middle school students in 2014.
In 2014, the products most commonly used
by high school students were e-cigarettes (13.4
percent), hookah (9.4 percent), cigarettes (9.2
percent), cigars (8.2 percent), smokeless tobacco
(5.5 percent), snus (1.9 percent) and pipes (1.5
percent).
Cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco and smokeless tobacco are currently subject to FDAs tobacco control authority. The agency is nalizing the rule to bring additional tobacco
products such as e-cigarettes, hookahs and some
or all cigars under that same authority.
Several states have passed laws establishing a
minimum age for purchase of e-cigarettes or extending smoke-free laws to include e-cigarettes,
both of which could help further prevent youth use
and initiation.
In todays rapidly evolving tobacco marketplace, the surge in youth use of novel products
like e-cigarettes forces us to confront the reality
that the progress we have made in reducing youth
cigarette smoking rates is being threatened, said
Mitch Zeller, director of FDAs Center for Tobacco
Products. These staggering increases in such a

short time underscore why FDA intends to regulate

these additional products to protect public health.
The new report concludes that further reducing youth tobacco use and initiation is achievable
through regulation of the manufacturing, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products coupled
with proven strategies. These strategies include
funding tobacco control programs at CDC-recommended levels, increasing prices of tobacco products, implementing and enforcing comprehensive
smoke-free laws, and sustaining hard-hitting media
campaigns.
The report also concludes that because the use
of e-cigarettes and hookahs is on the rise among
high and middle school students, it is critical that
comprehensive tobacco control and prevention
strategies for youth focus on all tobacco products,
and not just cigarettes.
The National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) is
a school-based, self-administered questionnaire
given annually to middle and high-school students
in public and private schools. NYTS surveyed
22,000 students in 2014.
A 2012 surgeon generals report found that
about 90 percent of all smokers rst tried cigarettes
as teens, and that about three of every four teen
smokers continue into adulthood.
To learn more about quitting and preventing
children from using tobacco, see www.BeTobaccoFree.gov.

HEALTHY LIVING / Spring 2015

Page 5

New recommendations for treating patients

with high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease
A new scientic statement issued jointly by
three medical organizations and published in
the American Heart Associations journal Hypertension, addresses how low to aim when
treating patients with high blood pressure
who also have vascular diseases.
The document provides an uptodate summary on treating hypertension in patients who
have both high blood pressure and have had
a stroke, heart attack or some other forms of
heart disease, said Dr. Elliott Antman, president of the American Heart Association and
professor of medicine at Harvard Medical
School.
The writing committee reinforces the target of less than 140/90 to prevent heart attacks and strokes in patients with hypertension and coronary artery disease, he said.
This is important since confusion has arisen
in the clinical community over the last year regarding the appropriate target for blood pressure management in the general population.
The current statement is issued jointly by
the American Heart Association, American
College of Cardiology, and American Society
of Hypertension. The writing committee consisted of internationally recognized experts in
the elds of cardiology and high blood pressure research.
According to the statement, while a target
of less than 140/90 is reasonable to avoid
heart attacks and strokes, a lower target of
less than 130/80 may be appropriate in some
individuals with heart disease who have already experienced a stroke, heart attack, or
ministroke (also called a transient ischemic
attack or TIA) or who have other cardiovascular conditions such as a narrowing of leg
arteries or abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Bloodpressure lowering can be done safely, and the vast majority of individuals will not
experience problems when standard medications are used, the committee writes. However, the statement recommends that clinicians
use caution in patients with coronary artery
blockages, advising that blood pressure
should be lowered slowly, and not strive to
decrease the diastolic (lower number) blood
pressure to less than 60 mm Hg, particularly
in patients more than 60 years old.
The statement offers specic, evidencebased recommendations and contraindications to help clinicians select which antihypertensive medications to use in patients
with various types of heart disease. For most
patients, that will mean taking a beta blocker
by itself or in combination with other classes
of drugs.
In the spectrum of drugs available for the
treatment of hypertension, beta blockers assume center stage in patients with coronary

Page 10 HEALTHY LIVING / Spring 2015

artery disease, said Dr. Clive Rosendorff,

chairman of the writing committee, professor
of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine
at Mount Sinai in New York, and director of
graduate medical education at the Veterans
Administration in the Bronx.
In addition to their effect on blood pressure,
beta blockers slow the heart rate and reduce
the force of cardiac contraction, both of which
reduce the hearts consumption of oxygen.
They also increase blood ow to the heart

by prolonging the time between contractions,

which is when blood ows into the heart muscle.
In addition to treating hypertension, this
statement also recognizes the importance of
modifying other risk factors for heart attack,
stroke and other vascular disease, including
abdominal obesity, abnormal cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking, Rosendorff said.
Information on the American Heart Association is available at www.heart.org.

Natural ways to beat seasonal allergies

The arrival of warmer weather changes the
landscape completely. Animals come out of hiding and hibernation while trees and owers bloom
anew. The spring season can be an exciting time
for naturalists and lovers of the great outdoors because they can immerse themselves in the sights,
sounds and smells of nature.
But for many people, spring also marks the start
of allergy season and spending time outdoors can
become downright uncomfortable for them.
The American College of Allergy, Asthma and
Immunology says nasal allergies affect approximately 50 million people in the United States.
Allergic diseases, including asthma, are the fth
most prevalent chronic diseases among people of
all ages and the third most common in children.
Allergic rhinitis or hay fever can occur in spring,
summer and/or early fall. People who experience
hay fever often can attribute their symptoms to
sensitivity to pollens from trees, grasses, weeds,
or airborne mold spores.
No two allergy sufferers are alike, so medications that may work for one person may be only
mildly effective for another.
Many medications can cause side effects,
which may be just as frustrating as the initial allergy symptoms. Treatments may target sneezing
and itching, but fail to clear up congestion. Drowsiness, dry mouth and nasal irritation may be side
effects of common allergy drugs.

People who want to

avoid allergy medication can look to natural
remedies to alleviate
their symptoms. Whether used alone or in
concert with traditional
medicine, these remedies may make spending time outdoors more
pleasant.

Try probiotics
Probiotics,
those
friendly bacteria that
reside in the digestive
system, can do more than just treat an upset
stomach. Naturopathic doctors say that probiotics
also can inuence the immune system and may
help strengthen its response to common allergens.
Since probiotics are good for replenishing
healthy bacteria in the body anyway, many people may want to keep taking them once their allergy symptoms have come and gone.
Use neti pots or saline sprays
A small amount of saltwater can rinse away
allergens, such as pollen, that get lodged in the
nose. These rinses can also help clear up congestion and ush out any other irritants.

Load up on omega-3s
A German study published in the journal Allergy found that participants who ate foods rich in
omega-3 fatty acids were less likely to suffer allergy symptoms than those who didnt regularly eat
these foods. Omega-3s can help ght inammation. Drinking more uids and using spices in cooking can help ush out allergens as well.

Dont forget vitamin C

Vitamin C is an immune-system booster and
may help prevent the formation of histamine in the
body, a substance responsible for many allergy
symptoms.

HEALTHY LIVING / Spring 2015

Page 11

Cape Regional opens new Sleep Care Center in Marmora

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE
For the past ve years, Cape
Regional Health System has been
expanding its services into the Upper Township region of Cape May
County. The newest service is the
Cape Regional Sleep Center located in the Hope Medical Commons
in Marmora.
Sleep medicine is an expanding eld of medicine as more than
50 million Americans suffer from
some sort of sleep disorder, said
Dr. William Bradway, board-certied sleep medicine physician and
medical director of sleep services
at Cape Regional Medical Center.
The new Sleep Center is designed with the patients comfort
in mind.
The new modern location features beautifully-detailed, upscale
bedrooms to provide a peaceful
and relaxing atmosphere for our
patients as they undergo their
sleep study, said Dr. Rajen Udani,
board-certied sleep medicine
physician and managing director
of sleep services. In addition, we

have the most advanced technology for conducting the tests,

The center recently held an
open house and ribbon cutting.
Upper Township Mayor Richard
Palombo did the honors of cutting
the ribbon.
On behalf of the Upper Township community, I would like to
congratulate the physicians and
staff members at Cape Regional
Sleep Center on their beautiful and
comfortable center. Thank you for
reaching into Upper Township with
the highest-quality healthcare,
Palombo said.
The Cape Regional Health System has Sleep Centers in Hope
Medical Commons, 2210 South
Shore Road, Suite 103, Marmora;
and Cape Regional Medical Center, 2 Stone Harbor Blvd., Cape
May Court House.
If you experience loud snoring,
trouble falling asleep or wake up
feeling tired, you are not alone.
Consult your physician to see if a
sleep study is suggested.
Cape Regional Sleep Services

Who needs
vitamin D supplements?
Vitamin D plays an important role in the body related to bones, growth,
inammation and immunity, among other things. Some people may not
get enough vitamin D, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Those in that category include breastfed infants, since human milk
is a poor source of the nutrient. You should talk with your childs doctor
about whether a supplement is recommended, according to Reef Family
Pharmacy.
Also, older adults may not get enough vitamin D because their skin
doesnt make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight as efciently as when
they were younger, and their kidneys are less able to convert vitamin D
to its active form.
Some people with dark skin, because their skin has less ability to produce vitamin D from the sun; and people with disorders such as Crohns
disease or celiac disease who dont handle fat properly because vitamin
D needs fat to be absorbed, also may not be getting enough vitamin D.
Another group is obese people because their body fat binds to some
vitamin D and prevents it from getting into the blood.
If you think you may need a vitamin D supplement, talk with your doctor.
Reef Family Pharmacy is a full-service, family owned and operated
pharmacy located at 804 Route 9 South in Cape May Court House.
It offers free patient consultations, customized compounding, and free
prescription delivery, along with a wide variety of over-the-counter medications and products, including vitamins.
For more information call 609-465-0004 or see www.ReefFamilyPharmacy.com
Advertiser Submission

Submitted

Cape Regional Health System recently celebrated the grand opening

of its Marmora Sleep Center. From left are Dr. Rajen Udani, managing
director; Dr. William Bradway, medical director; Sharon Langanello,
sleep center coordinator; Richard Palombo, Upper Township mayor; Dr. Richard Artymowicz, administrative director, and Mary Beth
Grant, intake coordinator.
can help identify your specic
sleep disorder and recommend
a treatment plan. To schedule an

appointment call 609-778-1008.

Physician referral is required.
Advertiser Submission

Villa Raffaella Assisted Living

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HEALTHY LIVING / Spring 2015

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