Bidi smokers may face up to eight times more health risks compared to cigarette smokers, according to revelations made at the 18th Pulmonary PG Update held at KGMU. Despite being perceived as containing less tobacco, bidis pose greater dangers due to the adverse effects of their leaf wrapping and the tendency for users to inhale more deeply.
Prof. Rajendra Prasad of the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute shared findings from a study comparing the harmful effects of bidis and cigarettes. While both are detrimental to health, bidis, which produce more smoke when burned, lead smokers to take deeper breaths to maintain combustion. This exacerbates lung damage, making bidis significantly more harmful than cigarettes, even though they contain less tobacco.
In addition to addressing the risks of bidi smoking, the conference aimed to enhance the diagnostic skills of PG students, particularly in interpreting chest X-rays. Dr. Surya Kant, head of the North Zone TB Task Force, cautioned against misinterpreting every spot on a chest X-ray as tuberculosis, highlighting the importance of accurately identifying various diseases through radiography.
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