Did you know?
One cigarette can shorten a person’s life expectancy by approximately twenty minutes. While most people associate smoking with lung cancer and respiratory issues, few realize that smoking is also a major risk factor for heart disease. It is directly linked to a significant number of heart disease-related fatalities. The more cigarettes a person smokes, the higher their risk of heart disease, especially depending on how long they have been smoking.
If you smoke a pack of cigarettes every day, you are twice as likely to suffer a heart attack compared to a non-smoker. For women who smoke while using birth control pills, the risk of heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, and peripheral vascular disease increases significantly.
Smoking also harms those around you. Secondhand smoke poses severe health risks, particularly for children. It can lead to cancer, heart disease, and chronic respiratory disorders. Every year, around 35,000 non-smokers die due to exposure to secondhand smoke. Let’s take a closer look at the connection between smoking and heart disease.
What is Smoking?
Smoking is the act of inhaling and exhaling smoke from burning plant material, typically tobacco wrapped in a cigarette. When a cigarette is lit, smoke is drawn through one end into the mouth, then travels through the airways and lungs into the bloodstream, reaching the brain and other organs.
People smoke for various reasons—some find it pleasurable, others use it as a social activity, and many struggle to quit due to nicotine addiction. Nicotine triggers the release of "feel-good" hormones in the brain, creating a temporary sense of relaxation, energy, or focus.
However, cigarettes contain hundreds of harmful chemicals, including:
- Nicotine – An addictive substance that affects brain function, increases blood pressure, and makes the heart work harder.
- Carbon monoxide – A toxic gas that replaces oxygen in the blood, reducing oxygen supply to the heart and other organs.
- Tar – A sticky substance that coats the lungs like soot in a chimney, making breathing difficult and increasing the risk of cancer.
What is the Risk of Tobacco Smoking?
Smoking significantly increases the risk of heart and vascular diseases, including:
- Heart Attacks – Smokers are more than twice as likely to suffer heart attacks compared to non-smokers.
- Coronary Heart Disease – Women who take oral contraceptives while smoking have a much higher risk.
- Stroke – The likelihood of having a stroke is more than double in smokers.
- Peripheral Arterial Disease – Smokers are five times more likely to develop gangrene due to blocked arteries.
- Reducing oxygen supply to the heart
- Increasing blood pressure and heart rate
- Promoting abnormal blood clotting
- Damaging the cells that line blood vessels
What are the Benefits of Quitting Smoking?
When you quit smoking, you’ll experience numerous health benefits, including:- Increased life expectancy
- Lower risk of heart disease and stroke
- Better overall health and energy levels
- Improved taste and sense of smell
- Savings on medical expenses and cigarette costs
- Your risk of blood clots decreases, improving heart health.
- "Good" cholesterol (HDL) levels rise, while "bad" cholesterol (LDL) levels drop.
- You’ll find it easier to exercise without shortness of breath within two weeks.
- In a few months, your lung function will improve, and the persistent cough will fade.
Easy Tips for Quitting Smoking
Many resources are available to assist you in quitting smoking. It may be necessary to try a variety of methods before you find one that suits you. Otherwise, you may need to adjust your strategy when one stops functioning. A few choices are as follows:- Cold turkey: This entails stopping abruptly and without the use of medication or nicotine substitutes. Some individuals may find success with this approach. However, the way your body reacts to nicotine might make it a challenging journey.
- Nicotine replacement therapy: This includes gum, patches, lozenges, nasal sprays, or inhalers.
- Medication: To aid with cravings and withdrawal symptoms, your doctor may recommend bupropion or varenicline.
- Lifestyle changes: Increasing your physical activity, altering your routine, or utilising cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can all help you feel better and overcome the smoking-related behaviours.
Conclusion
Quitting smoking isn’t easy due to nicotine’s impact on the brain, but understanding the addiction and its effects can be empowering. Be patient with yourself—quitting is a process, and each day is a step toward a healthier life.When you quit, you regain the ability to enjoy activities, taste and smell food better, protect your loved ones from secondhand smoke, and save money. Most importantly, you significantly reduce your risk of heart disease.
Take control of your heart health today! Get expert guidance from leading cardiologists at Asian Heart Institute. Schedule a consultation now!
FAQs
Q1: What are the benefits of quitting smoking?A: Quitting smoking improves heart health, lowers blood pressure, and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Q2: What is a smoker’s heart?
A: A smoker’s heart refers to heart damage caused by smoking, leading to increased risks of heart disease and heart attacks.
Q3: Why do I feel chest pain after quitting smoking?
A: Chest pain can result from the body’s adjustment to the absence of nicotine, but consult a doctor if the pain persists.
