Tobacco increases risk of multiple heart diseases. But people who quit tobacco reduce their risk of dying from a heart disease significantly. Read more to understand the consequences of tobacco consumption and the benefits of quitting tobacco.
Tobacco can affect the heart and the entire cardiovascular system including the blood vessels. According to the WHO and World Heart Federation, 1.9 million people die from tobacco-related heart diseases every year. Even occasional intake of tobacco and exposure to second-hand smoke can elevate one’s risk of heart disease.
The risk of Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is highest in smokers. The risk is directly proportional to the duration and amount of tobacco usage. Research shows that the risk is much more pronounced in smokers than people who have never smoked. Note that vaping and e-cigarettes are not proven to be less harmful, and MUST NOT be considered as a substitute for smoking. As per the Centres of Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), smokeless tobacco is highly addictive and hence more difficult to quit. This may be due to the high nicotine content in smokeless tobacco products. Smokeless tobacco (ST) is consumed by more than 300 million people worldwide. The burden of smokeless tobacco is predominant in south and southeast Asian countries including India.
The result is a direct increase in causation of various CVDs including:
- Atherosclerosis
- Hypertension
- Type-2 diabetes mellitus
- Heart Attacks or Ischemic events
- Heart failure
- Arrythmias
- Stroke
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Venous and Pulmonary embolism
Consequences of tobacco use
Cigarettes and smokeless tobacco contain numerous chemical toxins which can damage functioning of various pathways. One such pathway is the delivery of oxygen rich blood to the heart and rest of the body. Carbon dioxide, a prominent ingredient found in tobacco smoke interrupts this pathway and decreases the amount of oxygen that the body receives. When tobacco smoke is inhaled, it contaminates the blood with harmful chemicals, that cause damage to the heart and lining of blood vessels. These changes in the blood lining over time, lead to accumulation of plaque and narrowing of the blood vessels. This build-up of plaque is called Atherosclerosis, which can lead to Coronary Heart Diseases and Heart attacks. Narrowed arteries and slowed blood flow can eventually cause clots leading to Stroke and even death. Simultaneously nicotine causes increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, these problems culminate in heart-failure, wherein the heart is unable to pump the blood effectively, resulting in premature death. Smoking is associated with 60% increased risk of heart failure, and continuing smoking is associated with 80% excess risk of frequent hospital admissions due to worsening heart-failure. The cumulative effect of tobacco consumption on the cardiovascular system, are enormous and profoundly detrimental.
Health benefits of quitting tobacco
People who quit tobacco reduce their risk of dying from a heart disease significantly. Risk of all cardiovascular diseases decrease including hypertension, heart attack, stroke, aneurysms and heart failure. By 5 to 15 years, an ex-smoker's risk of having a stroke or heart attack respectively, is the same as that of someone who has never smoked. Kicking the habit is even beneficial to people who already have a chronic heart condition. In smokers who have coronary artery disease, nearly 1/3rd of cardiac events may be prevented by quitting smoking, over 2 years. Further, it is also shown that in those with heart failure, smoking. So, save your heart and quit tobacco now!
ITS NEVER TOO LATE TO QUIT TOBACCO
Issued as part of the public education series by Boehringer Ingelheim India and PatientsEngage
References:
World Health Organisation. https://www.who.int/news/item/22-09-2020-tobacco-responsible-for-20-of-deaths-from-coronary-heart-disease
Banks, E., Joshy, G., Korda, R.J. et al. Tobacco smoking and risk of 36 cardiovascular disease subtypes: fatal and non-fatal outcomes in a large prospective Australian study. BMC Med 17, 128 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-019-1351-4
Siddiqi, K., Husain, S., Vidyasagaran, A. et al. Global burden of disease due to smokeless tobacco consumption in adults: an updated analysis of data from 127 countries. BMC Med 18, 222 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-020-01677-9
U.S. Food & Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/health-effects-tobacco-use/how-smoking-affects-heart-health
CDC https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/how_to_quit/benefits/index.htm
