Current smokers have roughly a two-fold risk of heart disease compared to never smokers, and smokers who quit rapidly lose most of their excess risk after about 3 to 5 years.
Becker patients typically don't lose the ability to walk until their 20s and can live into their 50s or longer, although related heart problems can result in death earlier, according to Sharon Hesterlee, vice president of research at Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, a patient group.