United Nations
Patients who stop smoking at least four weeks before their surgery significantly reduce the risk of having post-surgical complications because their blood flow improves, according to a UN report published Tuesday.
The report from Geneva-based World Health Organization WHO), a UN agency, argued that minor or non-essential operations on regular smokers could be delayed to give them time to quit and thereby improve outcomes such as wound healing and heart function. The WHO study, conducted in cooperation with the University of Newcastle, Australia and the WFSA, found that every additional tobacco-free week beyond the four weeks improved health outcomes by 19 percent.—APP
