Posted on January 10, 2008 in Latest News
Heart, the vital organ of our body is affected due to smoking. This is a well-known fact. But, how does smoking affect the heart is a topic that tickles everybody’s’ minds. Read the article and quit smoking for a healthy heart.
The heart is the most important muscle in the body. It is a fist-sized muscle that pumps blood and circulates oxygen and nutrients through out the body. Circulation of blood also picks up waste products like poisons from cigarette smoke and carries them to different parts of the body. So cigarette smoking can tremendously affect the heart.
Smoking has hazardous effects on the heart. Following are the effects of smoking on heart:
- Atherosclerosis: Smoking leads to ‘atherosclerosis’. In atherosclerosis the arteries get thickened and hardened due to the deposit of fatty substances, called plaques and cholesterol. This makes the arteries narrower and restricts the flow of the blood to the heart. Smoking, by increasing the build up of the plaques and cholesterol due to the presence of poisons and toxins in the blood, accelerates the process of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis finally causes coronary heart disease, stroke, and artery diseases.
- Heart attack: Smoking leads to inadequate blood supply due to the effects of carbon monoxide discharged from tobacco smoke. Because the body needs adequate supply of oxygen, the heart needs to work faster. This leads to stress on the heart which eventually causes angina or a sudden heart attack.
- Angina: Smoking interrupts the blood supply to the heart. This process is called angina. The symptom of angina, which does not cause death, includes a tightness and pain of the chest.
- Heart failure: Smoking increases high blood pressure because the nicotine in tobacco elevates the blood pressure. High blood pressure may cause a heart failure.
- Stroke: Smokers are at a greater risk of suffering from a stroke. Stroke can occur either when there is a lack of supply of blood and oxygen to the brain or if an artery ruptures and blood escapes into the brain.
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Smoking tobacco causes a bulge in the wall of the aorta near the stomach, called ‘abdominal aortic aneurysm’.
- Smoking reduces peoples’ tolerance to exercise, which makes their heart weak. So it indirectly affects the heart.
- Smoking increases the levels of fibrinogen. Fibrinogen is a protein that causes the blood to clot. So the tendency for the blood to clot increases due to smoking.
By going through the above facts you must have realized the threat smoking poses to heart. So giving up smoking can help you in improving your cardiovascular system.
Quitting smoking can significantly reduce the risk of getting affected by any of the above diseases. It has been established that if a smoker gives up smoking, down the line, say after 15 years he has the same risk of suffering from heart disease as that of a non-smoker.
Following are the benefits of giving up smoking:
The process of atherosclerosis slows down once a smoker quits smoking. So there is less likelihood of the blood getting clogged down. Moreover, oxygen and blood pass through the arteries more freely and more easily. This relieves stress on the heart.
Cholesterol levels reduce after giving up smoking.
Due to lowering of high blood pressure after quitting smoking, people enjoy to exercise. This keeps their heart healthy.
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