Advice for men to avoid the top five killers
5. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (60,713)
Smoking kills
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, kills 60,000 men annually. It is predominately a smoking-related disease, said Steven Powell, MD, a pulmonologist on the Backus Medical Staff.
“Seeking medical care early is important,” Dr. Powell says. “Don’t wait for shortness of breath and wheezing to get worse.”
Environmental safety in the workplace also can be an issue, so he encourages men to wear appropriate masks and ventilators if they work in this type of environment.
Dr. Powell agrees it is not a disease taken seriously enough. “Smokers are addicted and they are in denial,” he says. “They also are harder to treat.”
One reality check he uses is to remind patients how expensive smoking is. “A pack a day is $5 a day, which adds up to almost $2,000 a year without even thinking about it. You are literally burning dollar bills.”