Cigarette Smoking and Heart Diseases

Several surveys reveal evidence that cigarette smoking is a major cause of coronary heart diseases, which leads to heart attack. Accordingly, Cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the world.

Cigarette smokers also have a higher risk of developing several chronic disorders. These include fatty buildups in arteries, several types of cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (lung problems).

Cigarette smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease by itself. When it acts with other factors, it greatly increases risk. Smoking increases blood pressure, decreases exercise tolerance and increases the tendency for blood to clot. Smoking also increases the risk of recurrent coronary heart disease after bypass surgery.

Amazingly, Smoking decreases HDL (good) cholesterol. Cigarette smoking combined with a family history of heart diseases also seems to greatly increase the risk.

Further, Studies show that cigarette smoking is an important risk factor for a stroke. Inhaling cigarette smoke produces several effects that damage the cerebrovascular system.

Smoking Women who take oral contraceptives have an increased risk of a stroke. Smoking also creates a higher risk for peripheral arterial disease and aortic aneurysm.

The link between secondhand smoke and diseases is well known, and the connection to cardiovascular-related disability and death is also clear. In the United states about 22,700 to 69,600 premature deaths from heart and blood vessel disease are caused by other people's smoke each year.