Screening Heroin Smokers Attending Community Drug Clinics for Change in Lung Function

Abstract

Heroin smokers experience a high and increasing burden of chronic respiratory symptoms and a decline in FEV₁ that exceeds the normal age-related decline observed among tobacco smokers with COPD and healthy nonsmokers. Targeted COPD diagnostic and treatment services hosted within opiate substitution services could benefit this vulnerable, relatively inaccessible, and underserved group of people.