Amy Winehouse was spotted smoking after being diagnosed with emphysema

Singer Amy Winehouse, at the age of 24 has been diagnosed as suffering from the early stages of the incurable lung disease emphysema, and an expert has warned that it could affect her career and possibly kill her.

Dr Keith Prowse, chairman of the British Lung Foundation said "The symptoms are breathlessness on exertion."

"The big difference for singers is that they require more breath and so those with emphysema can't hold the phrases and notes that their colleagues can. They also have difficulty with volume and sometimes have trouble with high notes because they have to take in more breath."

Winehouse will not recover from the disease and her symptoms will only get worse with time, with the only effective way to lessen the diseases impact, to stop smoking. However this seems unlikely for the moment, according to reports Miss Winehouse has been spotted smoking this week - after she was diagnosed with the condition.

Tags: amy winehouse