The harm of smoking to heart disease

More and more people smoke, from people in their eighties to teenagers, and even some women smoke. We all know that smoking is harmful to health. Even the cigarette packaging has the words "Smoking is harmful to health" written on it. But there are many people who just can’t quit smoking and smoke many cigarettes every day. Smoking can cause great damage to the lungs. We all know that the lungs are related to human breathing and are very important. So apart from this, does smoking have any harm to the heart? What are the harms? Next, let’s take a closer look at it!

1. According to statistics, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases have become the number one killer of human health. In our country, the mortality rate caused by smoking is close to 50% of the total mortality rate, and smoking is one of the four major culprits of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and diabetes). Smoking can cause hypoxic damage to the vascular endothelium, activate coagulation factors, enhance platelet aggregation, cause vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, and increase vascular tension. All of the above changes contribute to the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Studies have shown that the incidence and mortality of atherosclerosis in smokers are 2-6 times higher than that in non-smokers (the specific amount varies with the amount of smoking), and atherosclerosis is the common cause of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and stroke. Studies have shown that the harm of smoking to acute myocardial infarction is proportional to the square of the total amount of smoking, and the harm increases fourfold for every doubling of the total amount of smoking.

2. In fact, myocardial infarction is less common in young men, and if it occurs, most of them are closely related to smoking. The average life expectancy of a lifelong smoker is shortened by about 10 years.

3. Smoking and malignant tumors It is well known that lung cancer and smoking have an "inseparable" relationship. Smoking contains a variety of toxic chemicals such as lead, benzopyrene, tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide, etc. The long-term stimulation of smoking can cause serious damage to the mucous membrane and induce lung cancer. Scientists have conducted a survey and found that people who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day are 7-13 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers, and the risk increases with the age and amount of smoking. In addition to lung cancer, heavy smoking can also cause bladder cancer, laryngeal cancer, oral cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer and many other malignant tumors to increase exponentially.

4. Smoking and other vascular diseases Smoking is closely related to the onset of peripheral arterial occlusive atherosclerosis, Raynaud's syndrome, male impotence, etc., and can also cause thromboangiitis obliterans. In addition, the damage caused by smoking to the kidneys cannot be ignored, especially when the patient has high blood pressure or diabetes, it is more likely to cause kidney failure.

Smoking and respiratory diseases Smoking is closely related to chronic bronchitis. Smoking can damage the bronchial mucosa and ciliated epithelium, induce bronchospasm, and induce bacterial infection. Further development of the disease can cause obstructive pulmonary emphysema and cor pulmonale, which can be life-threatening.

5. Others Smoking is harmful to both pregnant women and fetuses. In addition to causing fetal growth retardation and low weight, it can also cause fetal congenital defects, premature birth and miscarriage. In addition, smoking can cause bile reflux gastritis, increase the incidence of peptic ulcers, affect ulcer healing, promote ulcer recurrence and increase the incidence of complications.

6. In addition, it should be pointed out that passive smoking is also harmful to health. For the sake of your own and others' health, please do not smoke.