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.
Ugh, that's more than 3 paragraphs, and no talk of explosions, so it's hard for me to read. LOL
Thanks, though, I will read it later.
There are viruses that hide (that is a euphemism) for sometimes years, before their true impacts manifest themselves. Sometimes for many years.
Examples.........
Shaw said: "Use your health, even to the point of wearing it out. That is what it is for. Spend all you have before you die."
Kind of like "Life shouldn't be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, cigar in one hand, empty beer in the other, totally worn
out and sreaming " WOW what a ride! "?
If so, that's way cool.
That's it.
;)
I have never thought of myself as being one who is motivated by money. (I know that I said that thing about the car and all that, but I was trying to make a point.)
On the other hand, I am not the most altruistic person on the planet either.
If you are ever so unfortunate to become one who has to endure end stage respiratory failure, or any of the other painful exits out of this life then I suspect that you will have regret over posting such a comment.
Emphysema is a COPD.
What sort of pain- and anxiety-free death have you reserved for yourself?
Are you sure you've covered all the bases?
No "inappropriate" eating behaviors or anything that will deny you immortality?
No risk-taking of any kind?
Have you been witness to any deaths due to respiratory failure by people who've run around plugging all the "health" holes their whole lives and died anyway?
What is your point?
That the minute we're born we should spend our whole lives worrying about dying?
But I thought it was impossible for other people's smoke to bother anyone or to cause an allergic reaction.
Surely Shaw meant spending it on something of merit, and not tobacco. I enjoy my health daily, and I thank God daily that at my age I still have the athleticism to pursue my hobbies. Let's not confuse that sort of thing with filthy time wasting habits like smoking.
Well, we both know that's an ignorant statement. I may smoke, but I'm not unaware of the risks, nor is it my intention to inflict my habit on others.
Don't paint me with the same brush as those who claim smoking carries no risk. You just make yourself look ridiculous.
I like smoking. I don't give a damn what you think of it. I'll bet no smoker does, so why not keep it to yourself.
As roughly average people we both know about half are more stupid than us, right?
Psssst, this is a thread on a public forum. No one in this discussion is keeping anything to themselves.
pretty damn contraceptive of you.
Surely, I assert that he meant nothing of the kind. I believe my assertion would have equal value to yours.
I enjoy my health daily, and I thank God daily that at my age I still have the athleticism to pursue my hobbies.
How nice for you.
Aren't you grateful that you live in a time when you're able to pursue your life according to your own dictates? How unfortunate that you're so emotionally invested in denying that opportunity to anyone not wishing to be your clone.
Let's not confuse that sort of thing with filthy time wasting habits like smoking.
Your physical health might be A-OK, but your mental health is in question. You actually make my skin crawl.
I'd like to sick the anti-motorcycle crowd on him for his hobby, but I like motorcycles too, just not the herion-addicts favorite, Harley Davidsons.
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