The Risk Of Smoking And Heart Disease

The Risk Of Smoking And Heart Disease
By Mark Hargreaves

Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in
the USA and other western countries. You can take action to
reduce heart disease. Heart disease is in fact any condition
that affects the heart (cardio) or the blood vessels (vascular).
The cardiovascular diseases you may be most aware of are heart
attack and stroke. You can take heart though as smoking is on
the decline in numerous parts of the world including the UK
which now has a total ban on smoking in public places, and you,
too, can find a way to quit.

Cigarette smoking is the major cause of heart diseases, such as
heart attack, stroke, and other vascular diseases.

Important Heart Disease Facts Due to Smoking:

Nicotine causes increases in blood pressure as the carbon
monoxide makes the heart beat quicker and takes the place of
oxygen in the blood.

Tobacco contains more then 4,000 chemicals, many of which are
known to be poisonous to humans.

Tar in tobacco is well known as a cause of cancer, which can be
a fatal disease.

Smoking for prolonged periods will cause clogging of the
arteries, which in turn leads to heart attacks from working the
heart too hard by reducing its oxygen supply. Clots are also
more likely to form in the blood vessels raising the risk of
potentially fatal changes in the heart beat.

Regular, long-time smokers have a 70% larger risk of death from
coronary heart disease than non-smokers.

80% of new smokers are children and adolescents who are trying
to copy adults or to appear "cool" to their peer group.

Passive smoking is another major cause of heart disease, and
those non smokers who inhale smoke from others are

at direct
risk. If you live with a regular smoker it will increase your
risk of heart disease by 30%. Inhaling others smoke is
especially hazardous for children and unborn babies by pregnant
women and contributes to low birth weight, sudden infant death
syndrome (SIDS), bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, and middle ear
infections.

Stop Smoking to Improve Your Health and Increase Your

Life Span

Many people smoke to cope with stress, lose weight, because of
poor self-esteem, or simply to fit in with their friend’s
circle. Most new smokers obtain their first cigarette from
someone else or find it readily available around the house from
a smoking adult.

Getting Help

If you think you cannot quit smoking with just plain will power
and if you are a heavy smoker, try to get some help before you
start.

Check your doctor first and see what course of action they
recommend. In many cases your Doctor can prescribe Nicotine
patches, pills or chewing gums are a great substitute. If you
can try to give up with a friend or a group.

Smoking can cause you and those who live close to you that
inhale your smoke to die early by causing heart disease and
cancer. That should be reason enough to give up smoking. Enjoy a
healthier lifestyle and stop exposing your family and loved ones
to passive smoking.

About the Author: About The Author: Mark has suffered with a
congestive heart problem since 1994 and is now severely
disabled. He now maintains a website for anyone who wants
information on congestive heart problems.
http://www.congestive-heart.com

Source: http://www.isnare.com

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