Health Headlines Wednesday

WHY SMOKING CAUSES LUNG DAMAGE:

WE'VE KNOWN FOR YEARS THAT SMOKING IS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF LUNG DAMAGE AND EVEN CANCER.

BUT A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS IN OREGON HAS FINALLY UNCOVERED "WHY".

IN A NORMAL SITUATION YOUR BODY CONSTANTLY MAKES A PROTEIN THAT REPAIRS YOUR D-N-A WHEN IT'S DAMAGED.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE EXPOSED TO CIGARETTE SMOKE...YOUR BODY MAKES LESS OF THAT PROTEIN... ALLOWING DAMAGED CELLS TO GROW OUT OF CONTROL... AND LETTING CANCER CELLS TAKE ROOT.

MORE THAN ONE MILLION PEOPLE DIE FROM LUNG CANCER EACH YEAR



NEW HEART DEVICE GUIDELINES:

HEART SPECIALISTS ARE ISSUING A NEW SET OF GUIDELINES TONIGHT FOR PEOPLE WHO WEAR ANY KIND OF HEART MONITOR.

THE HEART RHYTHM SOCIETY RECOMMENDS PATIENTS SEE THEIR DOCTOR EVERY THREE TO TWELVE MONTHS.

THEY ALSO ENDORSE A "NEW" WIRELESS MONITORING SYSTEM...THAT LETS DOCTORS KEEP AN EYE ON THE DEVICES FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME.

NEARLY TWO-MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE WEAR SOME KIND OF HEART MONITORING DEVICE LIKE A PACEMAKER OR A DEFIBRILLATOR.