Darlene Karoly, a graphics production artist from Cleveland, had been
smoking for over 20 years -- and trying to quit for the last 15.
"I tried the patch, I tried the gum, I tried hypnosis, I tried
willpower, I tried cutting down cold turkey, I tried Wellbutrin, I've tried
Chantix. The American lung Association has a program, I tried that. I've tried
everything and I've tried most things multiple times," the 49-year-old
admitted.
She stopped about 70 days ago thanks to a smoking cessation counselor from
Cleveland Clinic, and although a smoker since 20, a new study reveals that
quitting may have added years to Karoly's life.
In possibly the largest study ever on the hazards of smoking and benefits
of stopping, researchers found that smokers lose at least 10 years of their
lives due to their habit. The good news is the earlier they quit the better.
Women who successfully quit before 40 avoided 90 percent of the added risk of
early death caused by smoking, while stopping before 30 helped women avoid 97
percent of the added risk.
"If women smoke like men, they die like men - but, whether they are
men or women, smokers who stop before reaching middle age will on average gain
about an extra ten years of life," co-author Richard Peto, professor of
Medical Statistics and Epidemiology at the University of Oxford in Oxford,
England, said in the press release.
The research looked at the Million Women Study, which involved1.3 women in
the U.K. between the ages of 50 to 65 years during 1996 through 2001. Women
were surveyed about their lifestyle, medical and social factors and then
surveyed again three years after their first questionnaire.
They were also monitored via the National Health Services central register,
which told researchers when patients died and cause of death. Researchers also
followed-up with patients an average of 12 years after joining the study to see
if they were alive.
Twenty percent of the study pool were smokers, 28 percent were ex-smokers
and 52 percent had never smoked. Those who were still smoking at the time of
the three-year follow-up questionnaire where three times more likely to die
over the next nine years than nonsmokers, even though some had reduced their risk
by temporarily quitting between the first and second survey.
According to the results, two-thirds of all the deaths of smokers in their
50s, 60s and 70s were caused by smoking: Risk of dying from a smoking-related
disease like lung cancer, chronic lung disease, heart disease, or stroke went
up with the amount of cigarettes they consumed. But, even light smokers who
smoked one to nine cigarettes a day were twice as likely to die than those who
didn't smoke at all.
Dr. Sumita Khatri , head of Cleveland Clinic's Asthma Center and board
member for the American Lung Association said to CBSNews.com that this study
was unique not only because it looked at a large number of subjects, but
because it focused on women whereas most smoking studies looked at men. The results
however showed that smoking cuts years from your life, regardless if you are a
man or a woman.
"Being an advocate for women, we deserve all the same rights as men,
but this is one way we don't want to be the same as men," she said.
She said in addition to all the lung problems that smoking causes, it can
also affect blood vessels, cause aneurisms in a person's chest and block blood
flow, which most people don't realize,
The takeaway from the study is that it's never too late to quit, even if
you reach middle years, she pointed out.
"The sooner you quit, the better," she said. "And, also, not
smoking at all would be really good."
The study was published online on Oct. 27 in The
Lancet.
Article from CBSNews.com - http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57541559/women-who-quit-smoking-before-40-may-avoid-earlier-death/
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