Contents:
- Overview of HIV
- The danger of smoking in HIV patients
- After knowing the dangers of cigarettes, many PLWHA want to stop smoking
Smoking does damage health for anyone. The ability to smoke can cause heart disease, respiratory diseases, and other chronic diseases. Especially for HIV patients. Smoking effects can be twice as harmful to the body. What are the dangers of smoking for the health of the body of HIV patients? Consider the following review.
Overview of HIV
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks a person's immune system. This makes people with HIV / AIDS (PLWHA) more susceptible to disease. If left untreated, HIV will cause AIDS. HIV can be treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART), this is consumed throughout the patient's life because until now there is no drug that can cure HIV.
This drug prevents viruses that damage lymphocytes. If the drug is not taken routinely, the patient will be resistant to the drug, which means that the drugs do not work or will not affect the body. In addition to treatment, HIV patients are also warned not to smoke while avoiding cigarette smoke. Because this will endanger his health.
The danger of smoking in HIV patients
Reporting from Healthline, a study in Denmark revealed that HIV patients who smoke have a smaller life expectancy compared to HIV patients who do not smoke. A 43-year-old man named Brian was diagnosed with HIV. Doctors immediately take medication and treatments to control the disease. Over time, his body recovered and could move again. However, the smoking habit made Brian have a stroke and almost lost his life.
Reporting from Medscape, Dr. John T. Brooks, leader of the HIV Epidemiology Research Team at the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) states that smoking harms HIV patients for two reasons.
First, smoking inhibits the function of CD4 T lymphocytes. These lymphocytes are leukocytes that play a role in maintaining the immune system. In HIV patients, leukocytes in the body are damaged. With the addition of cigarettes that inhibit lymphocytes, the body will easily develop certain infections, such as:
- Fungal infections of the mouth, namely oral candidiasis
- Leukoplakia (tongue with white plaque)
- Bacterial pneumonia (lung infection)
- Pneumocystis pneumonia (dangerous lung infection)
Second, the compounds contained in cigarettes cause chronic inflammation in the body and reduce mineral density in the bones. This causes heart disease, stroke, cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
After knowing the dangers of cigarettes, many PLWHA want to stop smoking
Surveys show that two thirds of people living with HIV who smoke want to stop smoking. Unfortunately, smoking is difficult to stop. This may require strong determination, the help of a therapist or doctor, and the closest person to support him to stop smoking. Talk to your doctor to get advice or health services that help patients stop smoking. Keep the patient away from cigarette smoke, even though ODHA do not smoke, being around smokers has a dangerous effect.
Quitting smoking supports the stability of the health of PLWHA and does not waste the treatment done. This certainly improves the quality of life of patients and avoids patients from some chronic diseases associated with cigarette smoke. Actually without even HIV, cigarette smoke can endanger health. For this reason, stop smoking and switch to a healthy lifestyle to avoid the risk of chronic diseases.
