The Effects of Smoking and the Heart

Let's face it we all know that smoking is bad for us, we know it causes cancer, we know that one of the first organs it attacks besides the lungs is the heart. The effects of smoking and the heart are present throughout you whole body.

Let's start by looking at the effects of smoking and the heart on the heart itself. It causes heart attacks. It leads to lowered blood supply due to the effects of the carbon monoxide in the smoke. The body needs oxygen, an adequate supply of it. The lack of it causes the heart to work faster and this causes stress on the heart which can cause sudden heart attacks.

The effects of smoking and the heart also include the fact that the heart could fail. Smoking raises blood pressure; high blood pressure can cause heart failure.

The effects of smoking also go beyond the organ of the heart itself. Smoking causes things like stroke, because the blood and oxygen supply to the brain becomes compromised. It can cause abdominal aortic aneurysm. This is a bulge in the wall of the aorta near the stomach. If this bulge bursts it's almost always instantaneous death.

Smoking increases the level of fibrinogen in the blood. Fibrinogen causes the blood to clot so if you smoke your blood may clot easier. This is good if you are bleeding but not if it decides to do so in an artery that supplies blood to the brain or heart or lungs.

Another effect of smoking and the heart is that it raises your blood cholesterol. This clogs your arteries and veins and can cause everything from strokes to heart attacks. Even light smokers are at an increased risk of coronary heart disease.

The effects of smoking and the heart are serious and a real risk even if you are only a light smoker. Smoking also causes other things besides heart disease and complications. It decreases you exercise tolerance, increases your risk of developing diabetes and increases risk of things like gum disease and stomach ulcers.

Quitting smoking cuts the effects of smoking and the heart by 50%. Your chance of death from cardiovascular disease, heart attacks etc drops almost immediately. You will look and feel better, notice you have an improved sense of taste and smell. You will also save money and think of all the fun you can have with that. Your heart will be healthier along with the rest of your body and you'll be in better shape to enjoy that money your savings.