Smoker's Cough' Should not be Ignored as it Could be a Sign of Chronic Lung Disease
The single best thing smokers can do to reduce chances of developing smoker’s cough and prolong their lives, is to stop smoking, says a health expert, Professor Dame Sally Davies.
She said people should not ignore “smoker’s cough” as it could be a sign of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is incurable.
New figures from Public Health England (PHE) have revealed more than one million people in the UK are living with COPD - the umbrella term for conditions such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It can cause breathlessness as well as difficulty doing everyday activities such as climbing the stairs.
Of the 25,000 deaths from the disease each year, almost 90 per cent are caused by smoking. And between 2013 and 2014, COPD led to more than 113,000 emergency hospital visits.
PHE said it wanted to highlight “the debilitating nature of serious lung diseases for which smoking is the biggest preventable risk factor”.
The health body has launched a new short film which shows the lives of people living with COPD and urges people to quit smoking in the New Year. It features ex-Olympic runner Iwan Thomas, whose mother was recently diagnosed with the disease.
Check This Day newspaper for the full story.
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