Effects of tobacco on the body

Generalities

Here are the consequences of tobacco consumption on our body.
 

Nicotine affects the heart, blood pressure and arteries, causing :

• increased heart rate (tachycardia)
   
• increase in aggregation of blood platelets at the origin of clots
   
• increased blood pressure with occasional smoking
   
• lower blood pressure with regular tobacco use
   
• increase in "bad" cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides

Carbon monoxide (from burning cigarettes) causes:

• a narrowing and thickening of the arteries which can lead to myocardial infarction, an stroke, a gangrene at the level of the legs
   
• theasphyxiation of the organism by preventing oxygen from attaching to the cells, which reduces the physical performance and accelerates the aging.
   
• In 80% of cases, male impotence is due to the deterioration of the blood vessels in the penis.

Tars are deposited in the lungs and cause:

• inflammations, particularly in the ENT and pulmonary spheres
   
• repeated infections (ENT and pulmonary sphere)
   
• cancers : of the lip, of the mouth, of the larynx, of the pharynx, of the lungs, ... 

Irritant gases pass through the digestive system and cause:

• inflammations
   
• infections
   
• cancers

   

For every 2 times the duration of tobacco use, the health risks increase 20 times.

Read also:

What's in a cigarette?

Tobacco addiction: what are the causes?

Smoking damages the brain

3 misconceptions about smoking

Breastfeeding and smoking

Smoking and childhood leukemia

Young people and tobacco

Photo credit: Vintage style of cigarette in hand. Healthy concept. – Yuthana Choradet – Fotoila.com