10 Bringing health care news to your home WHEN YOU GIVE UP SMOKING, THE PERKS ADD UP OVER TIME AFTER... 20 minutes Blood pressure and heart rate drop. 12 hours Carbon monoxide level in the blood returns to normal. 2 weeks to 3 months Lungs are working better. The risk of heart attack decreases. 1 to 9 months Respiratory problems have started to decrease. 2 to 5 years Risk of stroke can fall to about the same level as a nonsmoker. 1 year Excess risk of heart disease decreases to half that of a current smoker. 10 years The risk of dying from lung cancer declines to about half that of a current smoker. 15 years The risk of heart disease is the same as that of a nonsmoker. Sources: American Cancer Society; American Heart Association; American Lung Association It’s hard to know what’s happening inside your body, especially if you feel fine. That’s why you should stay up to date on recommended health screenings. Columbus Community Hospital offers various screenings to help you and your loved ones stay healthy, including low-dose computed tomography (CT) lung screenings. These checks use minimal radiation to provide a detailed image of your lungs. CCH offers low-dose CT lung screenings for qualified people who are at risk of developing lung cancer but do not show symptoms. Eligibility To qualify for these screenings, you must be: ● Referred by your physician. ● Between the ages of 50 and 80 years old. ● Someone who has a history of smoking at least one pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years, is a current smoker or has quit within the last 15 years. People with symptoms that suggest a concern for lung cancer — such as abnormal weight loss and coughing up blood — would not qualify for these screenings. However, those with chronic or productive coughing or shortness of breath would be eligible for the screenings, since those are symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) generally, and not necessarily lung cancer. CCH’s diagnostic imaging department performs the screenings, which only take about five minutes and could significantly impact a person’s health. “If you are a smoker or were a smoker, screening your lungs for cancer is important,” said Denise Tomek, director of radiology at CCH. “The earlier you find cancer, the more treatable it is.” Get the full scoop Talk to your doctor about these screenings, or call the diagnostic imaging department at 402-562-3180. Is lung cancer screening right for you? BENEFITS QUITTING of
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