World No Tobacco Day 2024: Impact of tobacco consumption on heart and blood vessels

One of tobacco's main components, nicotine, causes the release of adrenaline. This puts more strain on the heart and blood vessels by raising blood pressure and pulse rate (Image: Canva)

World No Tobacco Day 2024:  Any kind of tobacco use is extremely harmful to cardiovascular health. Smoking is especially dangerous because it fills the body with several poisonous substances that damage the heart and blood vessels. These dangerous chemicals play a long-term role in the development of atherosclerosis, a disorder that is typified by the accumulation of plaque, or fatty deposits, inside the coronary arteries. By limiting blood supply to the heart, this accumulation raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Since smoking has been shown to have detrimental effects on cardiovascular health, it is one of the main preventable causes of heart disease and other vascular problems in the world. Understanding the methods by which smoke damages the cardiovascular system is essential for raising public health consciousness and implementing preventative measures.

Atherosclerosis and plaque buildup

Atherosclerosis development is one of the most important effects of tobacco use, says Dr Kuldeep Kumar Grover, head of critical care & pulmonology - CK Birla hospital, Gurgaon. He says that Plaque, which is made up of fat, cholesterol, and other materials, builds up on the artery walls and causes atherosclerosis. Because of this accumulation, the arteries become narrower, lowering oxygen delivery to critical organs and blood flow.

Acceleration of plaque formation: Smoking causes plaque to form more quickly. Nicotine and carbon monoxide, two chemicals found in tobacco smoke, harm the arteries inside lining, which facilitates the adhesion and buildup of plaque.

Elevated heart attack risk: Blockages are more likely to occur in the constricted arteries. A heart attack is the outcome of total blockage, which causes tissue damage or even death when blood supply to a portion of the heart muscle is completely interrupted.

Effects on heart and blood vessels

The substances that are inhaled during smoking seriously harm the cardiovascular system

Damage to blood vessels: Smoking damages the walls of blood vessels by inflaming them. Because of this damage, blood clots are more likely to form, which can impede blood flow and cause heart attacks or strokes, says Grover.

Higher blood pressure: One of tobacco's main components, nicotine, causes the release of adrenaline. This puts more strain on the heart and blood vessels by raising blood pressure and pulse rate.

Reduced oxygen supply: Tobacco smoke's carbon monoxide attaches itself more strongly to hemoglobin in red blood cells than oxygen does. As a result, the body receives less oxygen through the blood, which puts more strain on the heart to pump enough oxygen to the body.