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Amy Winehouse disease is killer

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Amy Winehouse disease is killer Empty Amy Winehouse disease is killer

Post  Scarlet Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:34 am

REHAB singer Amy Winehouse has been in hospital this week after being diagnosed with lung disease emphysema.

It’s one of a number of conditions known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which affects around a million people in the UK.

The 24-year-old star will not want to know that COPD kills 30,000 people in the UK a year.

Dr Keith Prowse, of the British Lung Foundation, says: “It normally affects people in their 40s onwards, but heavy smoking and inhaling other substances like drugs can age the lungs prematurely and bring on early onset in someone much younger.”

Smoking is the most common cause of COPD – but some sufferers like non-smoker Caroline Jennings are born with genes which put them at high risk.

The 25-year-old events manager from London first felt sharp pains on the left side of her chest in January, 2005.

Doctors discovered her left lung had collapsed and she was in hospital for a week.

Three months later the problem reoccurred. She says: “I was watching TV when the pain came back. It was excruciating, I could barely breathe.”


Emotional

X-rays revealed shadows on her left lung – and COPD was diagnosed.

Doctors told Caroline she had been born with a deficiency of the enzyme Alpha1 Antitrypsin, which mops up lung-damaging enzymes. Lack of it can lead to lung disease.

A few weeks later, in May 2006, Caroline had an operation to remove half her left lung.

She recovered well from the op, but in June last year the lung collapsed again and she needed further surgery. Thankfully, she is now doing well.

“I’m happy in my work and I do lots of exercise to keep my lungs functioning well,” she says.

Last month she completed the London to Paris bike ride in aid of the British Lung Foundation. She says: “It was an emotional and wonderful moment, a great achievement after everything I have been through in the last few years."

Like Amy, Caroline has been told she must never smoke – or her lungs could be damaged beyond repair.

She adds: “I also have to make sure I really slow down if I feel tired and rundown.”

Advice that Winehouse would do well to take on board.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/health/article1341068.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=amy+winehouse
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