Smoking ‘could increase risk of pancreatitis’
Smoking could be linked to an increased risk of acute and chronic pancreatitis, scientists have claimed.
According to a report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the risk of developing the disease may be higher in those who smoke more.
Experts have claimed it is difficult to note whether smoking is an independent risk factor, as it is associated with alcohol use and risk of gallstone disease – which are common causes of pancreatitis.
"Apart from the epidemiologic evidence of an association between smoking and development of acute and chronic pancreatitis, a biological effect of smoking seems plausible because both animal studies and human studies have demonstrated changes of the pancreas and in pancreatic functioning after exposure to tobacco smoke," the authors conclude.
Recent research at the Yale School of Medicine discovered that varenicline - a drug which was developed to reduce cravings for cigarettes - may also help people with alcohol addiction.
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