Cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, causing an estimated 438,000 deaths each year, according to the National Cancer Institute. The American Cancer society states cigarette smoking kills more Americans than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide and illegal drugs combined. The American Heart Association states that cigarette smoking increases the risk of developing certain diseases including heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer.
Heart Disease
Responsible for more than 40 percent of all deaths, heart disease remains the No. 1 killer in the United States, according to MayoClinic.com. The American Heart Association states individuals who smoke are at two to four times greater risk of developing heart disease than nonsmokers.
The main type of heart disease, known as coronary artery disease, involves narrowed or blocked vessels of the heart due to a build-up of arterial plaque, or atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis can eventually reduce the amount of blood supply to the heart enough to cause 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.
Stroke
According to the Internet Stroke Center, stroke accounts for more than 143,579 deaths each year in the United States, making it the third leading cause of death. 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 in cigarettes can damage the vessels leading to the brain, making a person more susceptible to stroke.
COPD
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute lists chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, as the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. COPD is a group of irreversible pulmonary disorders consisting 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 as well as 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.
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 Institute reports that 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 MayoClinic.com. When people inhale cigarette smoke, it immediately changes their lung tissue due to the cancer-causing substances in 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.
