Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital

COPD(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is the third largest disease in the world that causes death. In Korea, about 13.4 percent of adults over the age of 40 are suffering from this disease. The biggest contributing factor to the aggravation of COPD is cigarette smoking, which all patients with this disease should avoid.

According to a recent research done by Dr. Sim’s team at Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, key strategies to quit smoking should consider age, educational level and the level of airway obstruction since patients who are young, highly educated and have relatively mild airway obstruction are more likely to depend on nicotine.

Dr. Sim’s team has come to this conclusion through their research; Determinants of Nicotine Dependence in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Their findings were published in the July issue of ‘Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease’, the journal of the Korea Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory diseases.

By Chul Kwon, Int’l Cooperation Team, HUMC (chris@hallym.or.kr)