COPD & Emphysema Support Group
COPD is a progressive disease characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue, destruction of structures supporting the alveoli and of capillaries feeding the alveoli. Both have symptoms that include shortness of breath, among other respiratory troubles. If you are a COPD or Emphysema sufferer, join...
What is the effect of alcohol use, if any, on smoking? I'm talking about social drinking.
many of us take anti anxiety medications that help.
i would think it is something to ask your dr about & what affects it could have with the medications one is on.
i wouldn't recommend it mixed with pain killers or anti anxiety meds for sure!
http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/chronic-obstructive-pul
Here are other facts to consider:
Heavy use of alcohol, even without smoking, has been shown to increase death from COPD.
Heavy use of alcohol, along with smoking, is more dangerous for COPD than alcohol or smoking alone. "Drinking alcohol suppresses an enzyme called glutathione that helps protect your lungs from tobacco smoke," Dr. Pichurko says.
Heavy alcohol use disrupts the surface of the lungs, which can lead to worsening of COPD symptoms. "This surface is called the mucociliary transport system," Pichurko explains. "Its like a shag rug that picks up mucous and moves it out of the lungs. It works 24/7 to keep your lungs healthy, but if you drink heavily, it cant work as effectively."
COPD Management and Drinking
If you have COPD, the most important step you can take is to stop smoking. If drinking alcohol makes it harder for you to quit, you need to quit both. But if you're not smoking, there may actually be some benefit to drinking in moderation which means no more than two drinks a day for a man or one drink a day for a woman. "Its difficult to find studies that show any health benefits of having more than two drinks per day," Dr. Stahl says.
Pichurko advises people with COPD to set limits. "Drinking alcohol isnt forbidden, but if you drink, moderation is a must," he says. And until more is known, thats the best advice for COPD management and drinking.
I think one thing to think of is that COPD is an umbrella term that covers several different ailments. Alcohol may be a serious issue in one of those ailments and mostly a non issue in another. That is apart from the one factor caused by alcohol that would be negative to all the different issues under the copd umbrella being that booze is a central nervous system depressant and in larger quantities can cause shallow breathing.