[Smoking and clinical manifestation, lung function impairment, resulting comorbidities]

Smoking cigarettes is an illness and it constitutes one of the major health risks. Although the consumption of cigarettes has been on the decline since 1990s, the smoking habit is still widespread. According to WHO statistics, Poland is among the countries in which smoking and smoking-related diseases are very common.

1026 patients (83.8% of the patients registered in one of the health care centers in Bytom) were examined and the prevalence of smoking and the relation between chronic tobacco smoking and the clinical symptoms, lung function tests and concurrent diseases were assessed.

The study revealed that the majority of the patients examined were either current or former smokers (567 persons, 55.3% study population). 343 persons (33.4%) were current smokers; 200 men (58.3%) and 143 women (41.7%), while former smokers were 224 persons (21.8%): 135 men (60.3%) and 89 women (39.7%). Correlation between smoking habit and dyspnoea, morning cough, sputum production and wheezing was confirmed. It was established that lung function (FEV1, FEV1%FVC) decreases with increasing number of pack-years. Moreover, smokers were more likely to develop such diseases as systemic hypertension, coronary disease and COPD.

Tobacco smoking is related to such demographic factors as age, sex, education and financial status. Although the Poles' attitude towards tobacco smoking has changed for the better, the smoking habit still remains a significant epidemiological problem, particularly among young women. The incidence of cardiovascular diseases and COPD are statistically significantly related to smoking habit.