It could be symptom of deadly lung disease; but many ignore this and other signs, and do not consult a doctor, a study reveals
Jump to full article: Straits Times (sg), 2002-06-01
Author: Margaret Perry
Intro: A REGULAR morning cough, excessive phlegm and breathlessness are signs that smokers are developing a chronic, disabling lung condition that could lead to an early death.
But a recent study has found that many smokers here ignore these early warning signs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dismissing them as 'smoker's cough'.
Nearly a third of the 200 smokers interviewed here last July for the study said that they experienced one or more of these symptoms.
But only 16 per cent saw the symptoms as serious enough to consult a doctor.
The study on smokers' attitudes was commissioned by German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim.
It was conducted in six South-east Asian countries by an independent research firm.
Jump to full article » |