Smoking causes damage to nearly
every organ in the body and is directly responsible for a number of diseases.
Every
year, more than 480,000 people die
in the United States (U.S.) due to tobacco-related diseases. That is around 1
in 5 of all deaths in the U.S. annually. It is estimated that 1 in 2 smokers will
die from a smoking-related disease.
Smoking causes more deaths in the
U.S. each year than the following combinedTrusted
Source:
- alcohol
use
- firearm-related
incidents
- HIV
- illegal
drug use
- motor
vehicle incidents
Smoking shortens the life of a male
by about 12 years and
the life of a female by around 11 years.
Two poisons in tobacco that affect
peoples' health are:
- Carbon monoxide is found in car exhaust fumes and is fatal in
large doses. It replaces oxygen in the blood and starves organs of oxygen
and stops them being able to function properly.
- Tar is
a sticky, brown substance that coats the lungs and affects breathing.
Smoking affects many different areas
of the body. Below, we cover each part of the body in turn:
Brain
Smoking can increase the likelihood
of having a stroke by
2 to 4 times. Strokes can cause brain damage and death.
One way that stroke can cause brain
injury is through a brain aneurysm,
which occurs when the wall of the blood vessel weakens and creates a bulge.
This bulge can then burst and lead to a serious condition called a subarachnoid
hemorrhage.
Bones
Smoking can make bones weak and
brittle, which is particularly dangerous
for womenTrusted Source, who are more prone to osteoporosis and
broken bones.
Cardiovascular
system
Smoking causes plaque to build up in
the blood. Plaque sticks to the walls of arteries (atherosclerosis),
making them narrower; this reduces blood flow and increases the risk of
clotting.
Smoking also narrows the arteries,
making it harder for blood to flow, as well as increasing blood
pressure and heart rate.
Also, chemicals in tobacco smoke
increase the chance of heart problems and cardiovascular diseases.
Some of the most common are:
- Coronary heart disease - narrow or blocked
arteries around the heart. It is among the leading causes of
deathTrusted Source in the U.S.
- Heart attack - smokers are twice as likely to
have a heart attack.
- Heart-related chest pain.
Carbon monoxide and nicotine in
cigarettes make the heart work harder and faster; this means that smokers will
find it more difficult to exercise.
Even smokers who smoke 5 or fewerTrusted
Source cigarettes a day can have early signs of cardiovascular
disease.
Immune
system
The immune system protects the body
against infection and disease. Smoking compromises this and can lead to
autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn's
disease and rheumatoid
arthritis.
Smoking has also been linked to type 2
diabetes.
Lungs
Smoking
can cause a variety of lung problems.
Perhaps the most obvious part of the
body affected by smoking is the lungs. In fact, smoking can impact the lungs in
a number of different ways.
Primarily, smoking damages the
airways and air sacs (known as alveoli) in the lungs.
Often, lung disease caused by
smoking can take years to become noticeable, this means it is often not
diagnosed until it is quite advanced.
There are many lung and respiratory
problems caused by smoking; below are three of the most common in the American
population:
Chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): This is a long-term disease that worsens over time. It
causes wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. It is the third leading cause of
death in the U.S. There is no cure.
Chronic
bronchitis: This
occurs when the airways produce too much mucus, leading to a cough. The airways
then become inflamed, and the cough is long-lasting. In time, scar tissue and
mucus can completely block the airways and cause infection. There is no cure,
but quitting
smoking can reduce symptoms.
Emphysema: This is a type of COPD that
reduces the number of sacs in the lungs and breaks down the walls in between.
This destroys the person's ability to breathe, even when resting. In the latter
stages, patients often can only breathe using an oxygen mask. There is no cure,
and it cannot be reversed.
Other diseases caused by smoking
include pneumonia, asthma, and tuberculosis.
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