Risk Factor
Smoking tobacco products is among the six major risk factors for coronary heart disease that you can control or modify. The other factors include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity and diabetes. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of disease and deaths in the U.S., according to the Surgeon General. Cigarette smoking induces other risk factors by increasing blood pressure, decreasing exercise tolerance and increasing the tendency for the blood to clot, all of which can led to heart disease and heart attack.
Blood Pressure
Research has shown that smoking raises blood pressure, but blood pressure falls when smoking is discontinued. A French study of 12,417 men found that current smokers had the highest rate of high blood pressure and ex-smokers had a lowered blood pressure rate. The longer they had stopped smoking the better their blood pressure count. Subjects who had never smoked had the best overall normal blood pressure rates.
Blockage
Another risk factor for heart disease is the buildup of fatty substances in the arteries. Smoking has been shown to be a major cause of atherosclerosis, which deteriorates the lining of the arteries. The walls of the arteries thicken while deposits of fat and plaque eventually block the flow of blood. The arteries become narrowed and decrease the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart. This causes heart disease. One or more completely blocked coronary arteries may lead to a heart attack. Research has shown the more people smoke and the longer they smoke, the more they increase their risk of heart attack.
HDL
Smoking lowers HDL (good) cholesterol levels to increase the tendency for the blood to clot. HDL carries excess cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver where it exits the body, according to medical researchers. Because smoking usually leads to breathing and lung problems, it should be no surprise this results in physical inactivity, a major risk factor for heart disease.
Cigars
Many people who stick to smoking cigars or pipes think they may be safe from heart disease. But these smokers still have a higher risk of death from coronary heart disease than nonsmokers, according to the American Heart Association. However, their risk is much lower than that for cigarette smokers, probably because they don’t inhale the smoke as much or as often. So, while smoking is often blamed for lung cancer, it can also create problems with negative bodily functions that lead directly to heart disease.
