Smoking is a harmful habit that causes a number of urological diseases that
few people are aware of, experts said Thursday.
Reduced fertility, impotence, and bladder carcinoma are problems caused by
smoking, the Association of Austrian Urologists (BVU) said.
However, few people are aware of the fact that only 13 percent of respondents
said they know smoking has an impact on the urinary bladder, according to a
recent survey carried out by the association.
"Smoking is the most important preventable risk factor for many diseases"
said Shahrokh F. Shariat from the Urology Clinic at the Medical University of
Vienna.
One in four cancer patients has urologic diseases in Austria. To stop smoking
even after a positive cancer diagnosis can lead to an improvement, according to
experts from the BVU.