How Smoking Affects Heart Health

One in five heart disease-related deaths is caused by smoking, according to the World Health Organization.[i] Even just an occasional cigarette or exposure to second-hand smoke can have detrimental effects on your heart health and lead to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

There are thousands of chemicals in cigarettes including hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, lead, arsenic, ammonia, carbon monoxide, and many others.[ii] When you breathe in cigarette smoke, your lungs can’t differentiate between the oxygen you inhale and the chemicals from the cigarettes. Everything you breathe in is delivered to your heart, which pumps the oxygen and chemicals through your blood to the rest of your body.

These chemicals can alter the blood chemistry and cause an instant and long-term increase in blood pressure and heart rate, and reduce the amount of oxygen in your blood. They also increase the risks for blood clots and damage your heart, blood vessels, and every organ in your body.

Common cardiovascular diseases in smokers

The damage caused by tobacco and cigarette smoke paves the for multiple diseases including cancers and CVD. Here are several of the most common forms of heart disease caused by smoking.

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is when blood vessels become narrower and less flexible, leading to reduced blood flow through the body. Tobacco leads to plaque building up inside arteries, depriving organs of the oxygen they need to function properly. As plaque builds up, it could also break from the artery walls and cause blood clots as it travels through the veins, causing blockages with serious effects including disability and death.

Sufferers of atherosclerosis may experience angina, which is chest pain that could be a precursor to a heart attack or stroke.

Stroke

Strokes are caused by restricted blood flow to the brain. Smoking can lead to high cholesterol and plaque that lines the insides of blood vessels, blocking the flow of oxygen. When the brain doesn’t get adequate oxygen, tissue can become damaged or even die, leading to strokes.

Sufferers of stroke could experience permanent paralysis, muscle weakness, difficulty speaking, or even death.

Aortic aneurysm

The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the circulatory system carrying blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Smoking can damage the aorta, leading to weak spots and bulges called aortic aneurysms. In severe cases, the aneurysm could burst, leading to blood spillage inside the body, which could be fatal.

Peripheral arterial disease

Just as smoking leads to plaque buildup that limits the flow of oxygen to the brain, it also limits oxygen flow to the legs, arms, and other extremities, leading to peripheral arterial disease (PAD). PAD may feel like a painful ache, numbness, or lead to hair loss, ulcers, or brittle nails. More serious cases can result in amputation if limbs are not receiving enough oxygen, leading to tissue damage and death.

Heart attack

Heart attacks are caused by blocked blood flow to the heart. Often they are caused by blood clots from the plaque buildup created by cigarette smoke. Heart attacks can leave permanent cell damage and even be fatal.

The effects of secondhand smoke

Secondhand smoke causes 34,000 heart disease deaths per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control.[iii] People who do not smoke but are exposed to smoke get double the damage because they experience both smoke from the burning end of the cigarette and the smoke that is exhaled by the smoker.

People exposed to secondhand smoke can contract any of the aforementioned heart diseases that commonly affect smokers. Even brief exposure can damage blood vessels and lead to plaque buildup that causes several forms of CVD.

How quitting helps

While smoking can have lifelong effects, the sooner you quit, the faster your cardiovascular system can begin to recover. Studies from the Food and Drug Administration show that 20 minutes after smoking a cigarette, your heart rate drops and that 12 hours later, carbon monoxide levels in the blood drop to normal. Within four years of quitting smoking, the risk of stroke drops to that of lifetime nonsmokers. [iv]

While it’s best never to start this deadly habit, quitting can significantly improve your heart health and reduce the risks of CVD.

Are you at risk for CVD?

Whether you are a smoker or nonsmoker who has been exposed to secondhand smoke, you are at risk of contracting CVD. Heart screenings can help you understand your personal risks and identify early-stage CVD even before you experience any symptoms.

MyCardioGuard provides FDA-approved heart screenings that are accurate, safe, non-invasive, and more sensitive than traditional heart screening methods. A 15-minute screening can identify your risks and help you take the next steps to protect yourself from CVD.

Learn more about MyCardioGuard here.


[i] Tobacco responsible for 20% of deaths from coronary heart disease. (2020, September 22). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news/item/22-09-2020-tobacco-responsible-for-20-of-deaths-from-coronary-heart-disease

[ii] Harmful Chemicals in Tobacco Products | American Cancer Society. (2020, October 28). American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/healthy/cancer-causes/tobacco-and-cancer/carcinogens-found-in-tobacco-products.html

[iii] Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke. (2020, February 27). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/health_effects/index.htm

[iv] Center for Tobacco Products. (2022, March 23). Health Effects of Tobacco Use. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/public-health-education/health-effects-tobacco-use

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