- Smoking weakens the respiratory system, making it susceptible to infection
mechanism
Harappa
In the framework of World Pneumonia Day, the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) in the northern state of Veracruz warns about the complexity of this respiratory disease, which is more common in winter due to changes in temperature.
“Pneumonia is an infection of lung tissue; it can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, or even certain metals or substances. The main symptoms of this disease are cough, accompanied by fever, chest pain, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, and in very severe cases In some cases, respiratory complications can also occur,” explains Dr. Ricardo Cortés Mestizo, assistant coordinator of medical care at the hospital.
People most vulnerable to this respiratory disease include children, people over 65, or people with conditions that compromise their immune systems, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, or some other chronic degenerative disease.
Risk factors associated with pneumonia are related to temperature changes, staying in closed spaces with poor ventilation, unhealthy environments, and smoking.
Cortés Mestizo added: “Smoking is a very harmful habit for health because it weakens the natural protective barriers of the respiratory system and lungs, favoring the entry and persistence of viruses and bacteria that can cause pneumonia.”
Finally, the coordinator invites people suffering from respiratory ailments to come to his family medicine department to receive proper diagnosis and treatment to avoid health complications this winter.