Smoking may affect blood flow from and to the heart
smoking is known for causing irreversible damage to many parts of our bodies. prolonged smoking can cause an increased risk of many chronic diseases. Our heart is one of the most important organs of our bodies. taking good care of our heart and avoiding substances that may cause harm to our heart is essential to a long and healthy life.
Smoking can cause catastrophic damage to our hearts. Besides this, it causes harm to almost all other organs in our bodies. It further lowers our immunity and our bodies' ability to heal. In this article, we discuss the many ways in which smoking adversely affects our hearts.
Here's how smoking affects our hearts:
1. Causes hypertension
When the blood in your arteries flows too forcefully, you have high blood pressure. Commonly known as hypertension. As cigarette smoke includes nicotine, it raises blood pressure. This dangerous substance called nicotine raises blood pressure.
2. Constricts proper blood flow
Smoking can reduce and constrict the proper flow of blood from the heart to the other parts of the body and the blood to the heart. This lack of blood flow may affect the working of these organs. When the coronary arteries in the heart are unable to supply adequate blood to the heart it causes coronary heart disease (CHD). It is also known as coronary artery disease.
3. Restricts oxygen distribution
Smoking reduces the oxygen amount that is expected to reach into our bodies' tissues. This can affect our overall health.
4. Affects blood vessels
Smoking has been proven to significantly damage our blood vessels. This might increase one's risk of various arterial and veinal heart diseases.
5. Increase stroke risk
A stroke is a loss of brain function brought by an interruption to the blood supply to the brain. Smoking has been proven to increase one's risk of getting a stroke. Strokes can result in death and lifelong brain damage. Smokers are more likely to die from a stroke than former smokers or persons who have never smoked.
6. Increases heart rate
Smoking can instantly spike and increase our heart rate. This increase in heart rate may even be long-term if you smoke regularly and for a long period. Cardiovascular fibrosis, or the scarring of the heart muscle, is brought on by smoking. This may result in tachycardia, sometimes referred to as a rapid or irregular heartbeat.
7. Increase blood clot risks
As discussed above, smoking can lower blood flow and damage blood vessels. Both of these factors put us at a higher risk of developing blood clots.
In conclusion, smoking can do irreversible and chronic damage to our hearts. These conditions later may make us prone to other diseases. It is ideal to quit smoking today to increase your quality of life and longevity.
There are various ways in which you can kickstart your quitting. You can contact a doctor or any health professional that may be able to suggest products and tips that can help you quit. Smoking is extremely addictive and can be difficult to quit. It is necessary to understand and trust the process and not give up.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.