The Effects of Smoking
Stop Smoking Medication
On the Lungs:
 |
Chronic lung disease |
|
Chronic bronchitis |
|
Emphysema |
On the Circulatory System (heart, arteries, veins, capillaries):
Immediate response:
|
Increase in blood pressure. |
|
Constriction (or narrowing) of the blood vessels. |
|
Increase in heart rate. |
|
Decrease in stamina and energy. |
|
Decreased amount of oxygen in the blood. |
|
Decreased circulation of blood especially to the heart, arms and legs. |
Long-term effects:
|
Nicotine causes irritation to the lining of the blood vessels. This may cause the "bad" LDL cholesterol to adhere to the vessel walls and speed hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis). |
|
Hardening of the arteries can eventually lead to heart attack or stroke. |
Heart Disease
|
Heart failure - Lung disease puts an additional strain on the heart and can cause heart failure. |
|
Heart attack - Recurrent heart attacks can occur if the smoker has other circulatory or heart diseases. |
On Family, Friends and Other People:
Public smoking
|
Smoking is not permitted in many public areas. |
|
Some individuals find smoking unattractive and may not want to have any intimate relations with a smoker. |
|
Some individuals are highly sensitive to tobacco smoke. They may have an allergy or other health condition which makes coming into contact with tobacco smoke highly uncomfortable or even dangerous. |
Job-related
|
Due to higher health care costs incurred by smokers, some employers may prefer to hire nonsmokers. |
Second hand smoke
|
It has been proven, without a doubt, that environmental tobacco smoke (second hand smoke) is a health risk. |
|
If you smoke, your spouse, your children, your friends, and your coworkers are at risk for the same health problems as a smoker. |
|
|
