Posted on 10/17/2006 1:09:34 PM PDT by trumandogz
TUESDAY, Oct. 17 (HealthDay News) -- A new study finds that at least 1 in every 4 smokers will develop progressive and incurable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a much higher risk than previously believed.
COPD is a respiratory disease that results in blocked air flow to the lungs and grows progressively worse.
For this study, published online in the journal Thorax, researchers at Hvidovre Hospital analyzed data on 8,000 men and women, ages 30 to 60. All were monitored for 25 years as part of the Copenhagen City Heart Study.
At the start of the study, all the participants' lungs were healthy and working normally. However, over the course of the 25 years, the lungs of almost all the male non-smokers continued to function normally, compared to 60 percent of men who continued to smoke.
Among women, 90 percent of non-smokers still had healthy lungs at the end of 25 years, compared to 70 percent of smokers.
Overall, 25 percent of the participants developed moderate or severe COPD over the 25 years. Persistent smokers were six times more likely to develop COPD than non-smokers.
During the 25 years, there were 2,900 deaths in the study group. Of those deaths, 109 were directly attributable to COPD, and nearly all those deaths were in people who were active smokers at the start of the study. Only two non-smokers died of COPD.
The study also found a sharp decline in the risk of COPD among people who stopped smoking soon after the start of the study. Over the 25 years, none of these ex-smokers developed severe COPD.
Not me. I only smoke the cigarettes that are bad for pregnant women. You got to read the side of the pack to make sure you get the right one.
engage your mind
But they don't die from the orange juice!
My father and Uncle also a life long smokers died from COPD. It truly is a horrible way to die. What people don't seem to understand is that although they eventually do drown the death is slow. Kidney failure, muscle atrophy, etc. The body just withers away. Very sad.
Not to mention that the cost of end-of-life care for a smoker dying of smoking-related illness is generally much LOWER than a non-smoker who gradually dies of old age with all of its associated ailments.
COPD isn't primarily a killer, although it clearly kills. It debilitates, ruining quality of life.
How many of the other 34.75% who died died of smoking related ailments, I wonder?
Pay up, sucker!
conclusively?
Yes, but 25% will DIE. In 'meat & potato' terms....1 IN 4 WILL DIE THAT SMOKE.
Yes. Conclusively.
Just wait til it gets so bad that you have quit because of Emphysema, COPD and a lung gone. As is the case here
Nicotine was the hardest for me to quit and as usual I wheeze and cough when I try to do anything except sleep. And sometimes even than. If the government didn't make so much in taxes on it they would outlaw it.
SMOKE UP!!!
Sounds like a deal....just stop using the jogging tracks, sidewalks, public swimming pools, parks etc. that we smokers have subsidized in tobacco taxes, and we'll be able to subsidize our own health care.
"One in one will die who eat, drink and breath."
You should not joke like that.
I know it is just a web site, but ...the stuff is killer.
When I was younger, I used to be unconcerned about the health hazards of ...well anything.
Nowadays, I see lots of folks expire who might have lived many years longer if they had made certain different choices.
I recently learned that I am soon to be a grandfather.
I want to enjoy some of that.
Many of the people that I see regularly, will never have that opportunity. It is sad.
You said: Which means that 75% NEVER HAVE A PROBLEM, so why not report it that way?!
***
I don't smoke, never have. I don't who else does, that's a personal choice. But a 25% chance of a pretty crummy disease might bother me if were considering smoking. Sure, 75% chance of no lung disease, but I'm not sure what other risks I would take at 25% chance. If 25% of those who crossed the street were killed by cars, would you cross? If 25% of those who ate peanut butter sandwiches choked to death, would you choose another kind of sandwich?
Those odds don't sound too good when you are talking about a risk to your life. Then again, each of us gets to choose.
I would hope they tracked more information than what is published here.
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