We’ve all heard that regardless of our age, slowly reducing or stopping smoking is beneficial to our health. Needless to say, this 2020 e-cig study demonstrates how vaping is allowing smokers with serious health conditions to improve their health, well-being, and overall quality of life.
What is COPD?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, also known in its short form as COPD, is a type of lung disease that’s characterized by long-term breathing problems and poor, obstructed airflow. The main symptoms of COPD include shortness of breath and a cough with sputum production (spit up material from the respiratory tract). This progressive disease also typically worsens over time with the main cause directly related to smoking tobacco.
The study
The following e-cig study compiled data over 5 years for 39 participants — 19 of whom were part of a smoker’s control group and 20 were part of the e-cig user group. The analysis commenced with patients being evaluated prospectively for their measurements of respiratory exacerbations, spirometry indices (detection of airflow), quality of life using the COPD assessment tool (CAT), 6-min walk distance (6MWD), as well as conventional cigarette consumption. The baseline measurements before switching over to e-cig use were compared with follow-up visits at 12-, 24-, 48, and 60-months.
What was the result?
The following e-cig-related study entitled, “COPD smokers who switched to e-cigarettes: health outcomes at 5-year follow up” was led by CoEHAR founder Dr. Riccardo Polosa. It was found that smokers that suffered with COPD who had switched to vaping were able to drastically increase their quality of life. These patients had reduced their yearly flare-ups by about 50%, significantly improved their cardio-respiratory health, and increased their ability to exercise.
“The most important finding of the study [was] that COPD patients can abstain from smoking cigarettes indefinitely if suitable substitution is available,” said Dr. Polosa.
Those in the user group who had once smoked combustibles but had transitioned to e-cigs achieved a significant diminution in COPD exacerbations, whereas there were no significant changes that could be observed from those in the control group who had continued smoking. The e-cig users within the study also presented continual improvements to their lung function at each follow-up, as well as improved CAT scores and 6MWD.
“E-cigarettes can be a massive remedy for COPD and this is important for physicians, patients and their caregivers.”
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