Smoking is a dangerous habit for an estimated 34.2 million adults. In fact, an estimated 16 million Americans are living with some sort of smoking-related illness right now – and that doesn’t take into account the countless others who have medical conditions affected by cigarette use, such as worsened sleep apnea and diabetes symptoms.
But there is some promising news when it comes to smoking. According to research from the United Kingdom, it seems that more UK residents are quitting smoking than in the past decade, with many of them citing the coronavirus as the reason.
While some studies have found that smoking may actually help patients stave off coronavirus because the nicotine in smokers’ bloodstreams helps to block the virus from spreading, research out of the United Kingdom shows a more dismal outlook. Apparently, smokers with coronavirus were more than twice as likely as non-smoker patients with coronavirus to be admitted to the hospital for coronavirus complications. And smokers who were diagnosed with coronavirus and hospitalized were more than 1.8 times more likely to die from coronavirus complications than those who did not smoke.
So which data should be followed? Do you keep smoking in hopes that the nicotine will protect you from coronavirus, or do you quit and reduce your risk of serious complications including death? Doctors agree across the board that quitting far outweighs the risks of continuing to smoke.
Smoking not only damages the lungs, but it also damages the teeth and gums. It also increases the risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. It can even worsen symptoms of these illnesses if you already have them.
If you are a smoker, there has never been a better time to quit. Speak to Dr. Abelar or your primary care physician about how to quit smoking. There are many aids that can help you quit, including nicotine patches and gum, both of which were shown in the study to not worsen COVID-19 symptoms. Though vaping was not mentioned, this practice is also unhealthy and not a suitable means for quitting smoking, as it can be just as dangerous as smoking itself.
To speak to Dr. Abelar or to schedule an appointment, please call the office at 858-523-1400.
