The reality of smoking
Smoking is one o the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK.
Every year around 100,000 people in the UK die as a direct result of smoking and many more live with debilitating or life- threatening illnesses as a result of smoking. Smoking has been shown to increase the risk of developing more than 50 serious health conditions - many irreversible.
Smoking is known to directly cause around 90% of all lung cancers.
It also causes cancers in may other parts of the body including:
It damages the heart and circulatory system increasing the risk of developing conditions including:
It damages the lungs leading to conditions such as:
and can prolong respiratory conditions such as asthma and even the common cold.
During pregnancy smoking can have serious consequences including stillbirth, low birth weight, miscarriage and premature birth.
However you look at it smoking is problematic.
Every year around 100,000 people in the UK die as a direct result of smoking and many more live with debilitating or life- threatening illnesses as a result of smoking. Smoking has been shown to increase the risk of developing more than 50 serious health conditions - many irreversible.
Smoking is known to directly cause around 90% of all lung cancers.
It also causes cancers in may other parts of the body including:
- mouth
- lips
- throat
- larynx (voice box)
- oesophagus
- bladder
- kidney
- liver
- stomach
- pancreas
It damages the heart and circulatory system increasing the risk of developing conditions including:
- coronary heart disease
- heart attack
- stroke
- peripheral vascular disease (damage to blood vessels)
- cerebrovascular disease (damage to the arteries carrying blood to the brain)
It damages the lungs leading to conditions such as:
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- bronchitis
- emphysema
- pneumonia
and can prolong respiratory conditions such as asthma and even the common cold.
During pregnancy smoking can have serious consequences including stillbirth, low birth weight, miscarriage and premature birth.
However you look at it smoking is problematic.
Implications of smoking with MS
Causation?
In recent years there has been much interest in the role of smoking in the development of MS; considering evidence presented from 14 studies (involving almost 500,000 participants) a history of smoking was associated with an increased risk of developing MS.
Progression of disease
For those of us diagnosed with MS there has also been work on whether continued smoking speeds up progression of the disease. Based on only one study which was carried out in Sweden (with 728 participants) it was shown that for every year that someone continues to smoke following diagnosis, the time it takes to progress to secondary progressive disease status decreases on average by 4.7%. Amongst those who continued to smoke the average age they developed progressive disease was at age 48 compared to age 56 amongst those who stopped smoking.
The study showed no difference in progression in those who smoked more cigarettes for a longer period of time prior to diagnosis.
Previous research has shown smoking to increase the risk of relapse and therefore contribute to the ongoing disease load thus contributing to progression.
As scientists we are warned to be mindful of basing recommendations on single studies; however knowing what we do about the risks of smoking to overall health status (based on a large body of evidence) and development of further disease; along with results of these single studies in MS it is recommended beneficial to stop smoking.
Your GP or MS nurse will happily point you in the right decision for help with stopping and can make helpful recommendations for resources.
In recent years there has been much interest in the role of smoking in the development of MS; considering evidence presented from 14 studies (involving almost 500,000 participants) a history of smoking was associated with an increased risk of developing MS.
Progression of disease
For those of us diagnosed with MS there has also been work on whether continued smoking speeds up progression of the disease. Based on only one study which was carried out in Sweden (with 728 participants) it was shown that for every year that someone continues to smoke following diagnosis, the time it takes to progress to secondary progressive disease status decreases on average by 4.7%. Amongst those who continued to smoke the average age they developed progressive disease was at age 48 compared to age 56 amongst those who stopped smoking.
The study showed no difference in progression in those who smoked more cigarettes for a longer period of time prior to diagnosis.
Previous research has shown smoking to increase the risk of relapse and therefore contribute to the ongoing disease load thus contributing to progression.
As scientists we are warned to be mindful of basing recommendations on single studies; however knowing what we do about the risks of smoking to overall health status (based on a large body of evidence) and development of further disease; along with results of these single studies in MS it is recommended beneficial to stop smoking.
Your GP or MS nurse will happily point you in the right decision for help with stopping and can make helpful recommendations for resources.
Sources:
MS Society (2015) Smoking and MS: new evidence
MS Trust (2015) Smoking leads to earlier transition to secondary progressive MS
MS Trust (2017) A-Z of MS: Smoking
NHS Choices (2015) Health risks of smoking
Ramanujam R. et al (2015) Effect of smoking cessation on multiple sclerosis prognosis. Journal of American Medical Association Neurology; Sep 8:1-7
MS Society (2015) Smoking and MS: new evidence
MS Trust (2015) Smoking leads to earlier transition to secondary progressive MS
MS Trust (2017) A-Z of MS: Smoking
NHS Choices (2015) Health risks of smoking
Ramanujam R. et al (2015) Effect of smoking cessation on multiple sclerosis prognosis. Journal of American Medical Association Neurology; Sep 8:1-7
