The National Cancer Institute states cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, causing an estimated 438,000 deaths each year. Cigarette smoking kills more Americans than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide, and illegal drugs combined, according to the American Cancer Society.
Cigarette smokers have a higher risk of developing heart disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and stroke compared to nonsmokers, according to the American Heart Association.
Heart disease
Heart disease, the number one killer in the United States, is responsible for more than 40 percent of all deaths, according to the Mayo Clinic. Individuals who smoke are at two to four times greater risk of developing heart disease than nonsmokers, according to the American Heart Association.
Coronary artery disease, the main type of heart disease, involves narrowed or blocked blood vessels of the heart due to a build-up of arterial plaque (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis becomes dangerous when it grows so large that it reduces the amount of blood supply to the heart, resulting in a heart attack. Cigarette smokers have a higher risk of developing atherosclerosis than nonsmokers. Atherosclerosis is the main contributor to the high number of deaths from smoking, according to the American Heart Association.
Lung cancer
The National Cancer Institute states lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women in the United States. The National Cancer Institute states 90 percent of lung cancer deaths among men and approximately 80 percent of lung cancer deaths among women are attributed to smoking.
Doctors believe smoking causes lung cancer by damaging the cells that line the lungs, according to the Mayo Clinic. When people inhale cigarette smoke, it immediately changes their lung tissue, due to the cancer-causing substances (carcinogens) found within cigarettes. The body at first may be able to repair this damage; however, with repeated exposure normal cells that line the lungs are continually damaged. The damage over time causes the lung cells to act abnormally and eventually cancer may develop.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute categorize COPD as a group of irreversible pulmonary disorders that progress slowly. It consists of two main conditions; chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Cigarette smoking, the leading cause for the development of COPD, affects the airways of the lungs, making it difficult for people to breath. The cigarette smoke, causes inflammation, fluid, and excessive mucus production within the bronchial tubes. This increased mucus production narrows and obstructs the airway, preventing the lungs from receiving an adequate amount of oxygen.
Stroke
Stroke, the third leading cause of death in the United States accounts for over 143,579 deaths each year, according to the Internet Stroke Center. The American Heart Association states recent studies have shown cigarette smoking to be an important contributor for stroke, with current smokers being at double the risk of stroke than nonsmokers.
A stroke results from a lack of blood supply to part of the brain, depriving the brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. Within a few minutes, brain cells begin to die. The nicotine and carbon monoxide found within cigarettes can damage the vessels leading to the brain, making a person more susceptible to stroke.
