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Singer Winehouse 'has emphysema'







Singer Amy Winehouse has the lung disease emphysema, possibly caused by smoking crack cocaine and cigarettes, her father has said.

Mitch Winehouse told the Sunday Mirror his daughter has early stage emphysema and an irregular heartbeat.

"Doctors have told her if she goes back to smoking drugs, it won't just ruin her voice, it will kill her," he said.

Emphysema is a progressive lung condition which leaves sufferers struggling for breath.

"She's got emphysema - it's in its early stages, but had it gone on for another month they painted a very vivid picture of her sitting there like an old person with a mask on her face struggling to breathe," Mr Winehouse said.

'Stay away'

"With smoking the crack cocaine and the cigarettes her lungs are all gunked up. There are nodules around the chest and dark marks. She's got 70% lung capacity."

Mr Winehouse also called for his daughter's drug dealers and circle of drug addict pals to stay away from her.

"I'm saying to those drug dealers, and they know who they are, if they are supplying crack to Amy, then they've got to take responsibility," he said.

"I don't want her hanging out with her mates like Pete Doherty either. What hope does she have if people are taking drugs around her?"

A spokesman for Winehouse said: "If that's what Mitch says, that's what he says. It sounds right."

The 24-year-old fell ill last week after fainting at her London home.

She is due to perform at the Glastonbury Festival and Nelson Mandela concert this weekend.

Emphysema is caused by gradual damage to the structure of the lungs, which makes it harder to exhale.

It usually affects older people as it is due to culmulative damage over a long period, such as a lifetime of smoking.


Original article here