Cigarette smoking accounts for more than 440,000 deaths per year and is the most preventable cause of premature death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, 46 million adults were smokers in 2008. The fact that so many people continue to smoke despite life-threatening consequences is a testament to the addictive effect of nicotine. Cigarette smoking increases your risk for certain cancers, lung and respiratory disease as well as heart disease. Each time you smoke, you inhale 4,000 chemicals, 50 of which have been proven to cause cancer, that are harmful to the cardiovascular system.
Blood
Cigarette increases blood pressure and makes the heart work harder to pump blood. Smoking also thickens the blood, making it difficult for the blood to carry oxygen. Smoking also damages the walls of the blood vessels, making them lose their elasticity and become narrow or inflamed.
Cholesterol
Smoking lowers your good, or HDL, cholesterol and increases triglycerides in the blood. This increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Atherosclerosis
Because smoking weakens and narrows the blood vessels, it contributes significantly to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis occurs when plaque consisting of cholesterol, fat, calcium and other substances accumulates in the arteries. As a result, the arteries become narrow and blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced. Atherosclerosis increases the risk of blood clots forming in the arteries. Blood clots can block blood flow and cause a stroke or heart attack.
Peripheral Arterial Disease
Peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, results when plaque accumulates in the arteries that carry blood to the head, limbs and organs. PAD commonly affects the arteries that carry blood to the legs. When blood flow in the leg arteries is blocked, it causes pain, weakness, cramping and/or numbing in the hips, thighs and calf muscles. The risk for infection in the affected limb also increases, and your body may not be able to fight the infection. If severe, PAD can cause gangrene and lead to amputation of the affected limb. A person with PAD has a six to seven times greater risk for heart disease and heart attack than a person who doesn't have the disease. The risk increases four times if the person smokes.
Risk Factors
If you smoke, your risk for heart attack and stroke is two to three times higher than that of a non-smoker. Your risk is even higher if you already have heart disease and you smoke. Women who smoke and use oral contraceptives are a higher risk for heart disease, as are smokers with diabetes. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, even smoking occasionally is harmful and can derail any other efforts you make to reduce your risk of heart disease, such as taking cholesterol-lowering medicines or aspirin.
