Cigarette smoking is the most preventable cause of premature (early)
death in the United States. Cigarette smoking is the main risk factor for
sudden cardiac death. Smokers have two to four times the risk of nonsmokers.
Cigarette smoking is an important risk factor for stroke.
Smoking makes your heart beat faster, harder and irregular. It also decreases
the amount of oxygen in your blood. Women who smoke and use oral
contraceptives greatly increase their risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
compared with nonsmoking women who use oral contraceptives. Even second-hand
smoke can be a major risk factor. Continual exposure to second hand smoke nearly
doubles a person's risk of having a heart attack.
- Smoking accounts for about 1/5 of all deaths from heart disease in the United
States, about 400,000 each year.
- Most of these deaths (90,000) are related to atherosclerosis (coronary artery
disease). The arteries that supply blood to the heart become severely narrowed,
decreasing the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart.
Inhaling tobacco smoke causes immediate, negative effects on the heart and blood
vessels:
- Decreased oxygen to the heart
- Increased blood pressure and heart rate
- Increased fatty build-up in arteries
- Increased risk of cancer
- Increased risk of lung problems
- Increased risk of developing heart disease
- Increase in blood clotting
- Increased risk of becoming sick (especially among children: respiratory
infections are more common among children exposed to second-hand smoke)
- Damage to cells that line coronary arteries and other blood vessels
- Earlier menopause in women
The six main risk
factors for coronary heart disease that you can modify or control are:
- Cigarette and tobacco smoke
- High blood cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Physical inactivity
- Obesity
- Diabetes
Smoking increases coronary artery disease risk by:
- Increasing levels of free fatty acids in the blood stream
- Decreasing exercise tolerance
- Increasing tendency for blood to clot
- Damaging the coronary artery lining, making it an attractive site for blood
fats and platelets to accumulate, which encourages the process of
atherosclerosis.
- Increasing blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease
- Exerting a negative effect on the heart. Carbon monoxide, an ingredient of
cigarette smoke, limits the blood's ability to carry oxygen.
- Increasing LDL ("bad") cholesterol and decreasing HDL ("good") cholesterol.
By quitting smoking, you will:
- Prolong your life
- Reduce your risk of disease (including heart disease, heart attack, high blood
pressure, lung cancer, throat cancer, emphysema, ulcers, gum disease and other
conditions)
- Feel healthier (After quitting, you won't cough as much, have as many sore
throats and you will increase your energy).
- Look better (Quitting can help you prevent face wrinkles, get rid of stained
teeth and improve your skin.)
- Improve your sense of taste and smell
- Save money
6/23/2008
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