Smoking is one of the leading causes of death. Smoking affects every organ in the body.
Although the number of Americans smoking have decreased, the numbers remain quite high. Smoking causes
heart disease. There is a definite risk of heart disease and smoking.
Smoking Causes Heart Disease
Tobacco abuse is the largest preventable cause of death and disease in America. Tobacco kills more than 1/2 million Americans each year.
Secondhand smoke is also a danger that kills 50,000 Americans a year. Tobacco abuse cost the healthcare system more than $350 billion a year.
Tobacco is a major cause of cardiovascular diseases. 10 percent of all deaths worldwide can be contributed to smoking.
According to World Health Organization, smoking kills half of its users. Smoking kills more than 8 million people worldwide, and more than 7 million of these deaths are directly linked to smoking
1. What Does Smoking Do to the Body?
Smoking is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality worldwide.
It is estimated that over 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking.
Smoking causes cancer,
stroke,
heart disease, lung diseases,
diabetes, emphysema, and bronchitis.
Smoking increases the risk for tuberculosis and creates problems in the immune system. Smoking also causes erectile dysfunction.
2. What Are the Costs of Smoking?
Smoking and
heart disease cost Americans over $300 billion dollars a year.
The diseases and disorders attributed to cigarette smoking are $170 billion dollars.
The costs in lost productivity and premature death is estimated to cost over $156 billion. The smoking industry spends over $9 billion dollars on promoting cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.
3. How Is Smoking the Leading Cause of Preventable Deaths?
More than 16 million Americans are living with a disease or disorder caused by smoking.
Worldwide, smoking causes 6 million deaths a year. In the United States, smoking causes 500,000 deaths a year.
Second-hand smoke kills 42,000 deaths a year. Research has shown that smokers die 10 years earlier than non-smokers.
There is a definite link between smoking and heart disease.
4. What are Some Cigarette Smoking Cessation Aids?
1. Nicotine patch: The nicotine patch is a small, self-adhesive patch that releases a slow, steady amount of nicotine into your body through your skin.
2. Nicotine gum: Nicotine gum is often used in combination with the nicotine patch and other quit-smoking medications. When you first start using nicotine gum, you can use a piece every one to two hours, up to 24 pieces a day.
3. Nicotine lozenges: Nicotine lozenges are tablets that contain a small amount of nicotine (2 mg or 4 mg). You place a lozenge between your gum line and cheek and suck it slowly, allowing it to dissolve. The nicotine enters your bloodstream as it’s absorbed through the lining of your mouth.
4. Nicotine inhaler: The nicotine inhaler is a device that gives you a small dose of nicotine. When you puff on the nicotine inhaler, nicotine vapor is released from a cartridge inside the device. The nicotine enters your bloodstream as it’s absorbed through the lining of your mouth and throat.
It’s important to hold the vapor in your mouth for a few seconds and then blow it out — don’t inhale it into your lungs
Sourced From Mayo Clinic
5. Why Does Smoking Cause Heart Disease?
Tobacco smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States and an important cause of CHD.
The effect of smoking on the cardiovascular system and coronary risk factors is pervasive.
Cigarettes cause an increase in
blood pressure and coronary artery resistance.
Cigarettes also cause elevated cholesterol, increases clotting time in the blood. Nicotine causes elevated triglycerides and nicotine lowers HDL, the good cholesterol.
Nicotine makes the blood “sticky” which means that it is more likely to clot.
Smoking causes heart disease by thickening and narrowing the blood vessels.
6. Why is Secondhand Smoke Dangerous to the Heart?
Secondhand smoke is dangerous because it is smoke that is breathed out by the smoker. Secondhand smoke causes almost 35,000 deaths from coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke. Non-smokers are 30% more likely to
develop heart disease if they inhale secondhand smoke.
Secondhand smoke interferes with the normal functioning of the heart, blood and vascular system.
Smoking Cessation Tools
- Some people are actually able to stop smoking cold turkey.
- Hypnotherapy – hypnosis, there are online programs and counseling
- Nicotine patches
- Nicotine gum, nicotine lozenges
- Vaping
Resourced From Centers for Disease Control
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