Smoking has dangerous effects on the cardiovascular system. This may lead to a number of diseases including death.
Coronary Heart Disease is a major disease that causes one death every 20 minutes or amounts to 24.1% of all deaths. Cigarette is a major cause for heart attack. In people less than 65 years of age around 45% of CHD in men and 40% in women are due to cigarette smoking. Smokers are three times more susceptible to deaths due to CHD than non-smokers. The deaths are generally caused by ventricular fibrillation, which prevents the heart from beating properly. CHD are mainly caused by the blockages in the arteries around the heart. The fall in oxygen in turn causes heart attack. The chances of developing CHD depend on the amount and intensity of smoking.
Sudden Cardiac Death is death due to major coronary artery blockage or a dangerously irregular heart rhythm. Non smokers are two to four times more likely to suffer from sudden cardiac death.
Another CVD caused by smoking is Stroke. Stroke occurs due to arterial blockage which may be caused due to atherosclerosis, blood clot or leakage of arterial wall weakened by atherosclerosis. Stroke may lead to rapid death or disability depending on the part of the brain affected. The interruption of blood supply to the brain could be due to atherosclerosis or high blood pressure. Smoking can lead to the blockage of the artery in the brain due to blood clot or other debris carried in the blood. The blood supply to the nearby cells is cut off and hence they die due to lack of oxygen leading to disability.
Smokers must realize what smoking is doing to them and take proper Help to quit smoking .
