Damaging Effects Of Smoking On The Heart?

Answer 1

The use of tobacco products can result in a number of dangerous consequences for the overall health of an individual. Among these are a decreased oxygen supply, damage to the blood cells and an increased chance of a coronary failure. The circulatory system is tied directly to the heart and lungs, and damage caused by cigarette smoking can be life threatening.

Less Available Oxygen

Smoking cigarettes means that instead of pure oxygen the lungs are receiving smoke, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and tar. Less oxygen makes it to the capillaries in the lungs and therefore the pulmonary veins carry less oxygen back to the heart, resulting in a lower supply for the rest of the body. Smoking also constricts the blood vessels to some degree, meaning that every pump of the heart is now under greater pressure to deliver nutrients and oxygen to the cells.

Damage To Blood Cells

The bloodstream is responsible for delivering oxygen to every other part of the body, but certain ingredients in tobacco make their way into the bloodstream via the lungs and damage red blood cells as well as platelets. This also decreases the amount of oxygen that is transported to the other cells and this affects the heart itself to a great degree. The coronary artery is the main blood vessel supplying the heart with food and oxygen, and if the blood cells are damaged, the heart tissue will show a significant decrease in cellular respiration. This leads to damaged tissue over a number of years and healthy heart muscle is replaced with scar tissue instead.

Danger To The Coronary Artery Itself

The buildup of plaques in the coronary artery is a condition known as atherosclerosis, where LDL cholesterol lines the walls of this vital artery and constricts it. The use of tobacco compounds this condition by constricting the vessel still further, often leading to the breaking of the plaques into several sections, attracting platelets and forming a blood clot. The individual cannot receive enough food nutrients and oxygen to feed the heart muscle and eventually a heart stoppage or spasm can result. Most coronary heart attacks are brought on by a combination of plaques and the use of tobacco products on a regular basis.

A healthy diet that is low in cholesterol and sodium combined with the cessation of smoking tobacco products, is the best way to insure that the heart will function normally. The greater the amount of nutrients and oxygen supplying this organ, the easier its job is.