Lifting The Lid On Hiv And Aids

Smoking more hazardous for HIV patients

Cigarette smokers who are HIV positive may have a higher chance of dying from smoking-related complications than from HIV, according to research published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Smoking is especially dangerous for people with HIV. Numerous health problems are associated with smoking. Smokers have a high chance of developing heart disease, cancer, serious lung diseases, and other infections, such as pneumonia.

Previous research has suggested that each cigarette shortens a person’s lifespan by 11 minutes, and that smoking from the age of 17-71 years will decrease life expectancy by an average of six and a half years.

The study on smokers with HIV was conducted in the US where more than 40 percent of people with HIV are smokers, compared with 15 percent for the general population. The number of people with HIV who smoke in the US is estimated to be around 247 586. Another 20 percent of people with HIV are former smokers.

Compared with other smokers, people with HIV who smoke are more likely to experience: thrush; white mouth sores; bacterial pneumonia; pneumocystis pneumonia (a dangerous lung infection); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); heart disease and stroke; and lung cancer and other types of cancer.

Using a computer simulation of HIV disease and treatment, the researchers calculated the life expectancy of people with HIV, based on whether or not they smoked. Findings showed that in people with HIV who follow their treatment correctly, smoking decreases their life expectancy by about twice as much as HIV does. For men with HIV, the loss of life expectancy for HIV and for smoking was similar, whether or not they followed their treatment regime.

Male smokers who started HIV treatment at the age of 40 years stood to lose 6.7 years of life expectancy, and women, 6.3 years, compared with those who never smoked. Men who quit smoking and started treatment at 40 years would regain 5.7 years of life, and women, 4.6 years.

The researchers conclude that people with HIV in the US who follow their treatment, but also smoke are far more likely to die of a smoking-related disease than from HIV itself. This suggests that quitting smoking could significantly improve life expectancy.

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