Coughing and other respiratory symptoms improve within weeks of smoking cessation

Coughing and other respiratory symptoms improve within weeks of smoking cessation
Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology is a quarterly peer-reviewed journal published in print and online that synthesizes the pulmonary, allergy, and immunology communities in the advancement of the respiratory health of children. Credit: ©2012 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers

If the proven long-term benefits of smoking cessation are not enough to motivate young adults to stop smoking, a new study shows that 18- to 24-year olds who stop smoking for at least two weeks report substantially fewer respiratory symptoms, especially coughing. The study findings are detailed in Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology.

Karen Calabro, DrPH and Alexander Prokhorov, MD, PhD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, compared self-reported among two groups of college students who participated in programs designed to motivate them to stop smoking. One group achieved for two weeks or longer and the other group failed to stop smoking. More than half of the students smoked 5-10 cigarettes a day and had smoked for 1-5 years.

"That the benefit of stopping smoking starts in days to weeks–not years or decades–is important. Now health care providers can counsel young smokers that their breathing can feel better soon after they stop. This can help to motivate to stop smoking before the severe damage is done," says Harold Farber, MD, MSPH, Editor of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology and Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Section of Pulmonology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.

Provided by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
Citation: Coughing and other respiratory symptoms improve within weeks of smoking cessation (2012, February 3) retrieved 29 March 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-respiratory-symptoms-weeks-cessation.html
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