Your Health and Smoking
Once you have quit smoking your body
can sometimes fully recover. In can be quite quick too,
use this timeline to see when the benefits to
your health will kick in.
In the meantime, here's how smoking can impact
on your health and life
expectancy
Tobacco smoke contains over
4000 chemicals, many of them poisonous, including 60 known to cause
cancer. Here are just a few:
- Nicotine is the drug in tobacco which
causes addiction. It is very powerful and causes addiction in a
similar way to hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Most of the
pleasure that comes from smoking is relief from nicotine
withdrawal.
- Carbon monoxide (the poisonous gas in
car exhausts) is present in all tobacco smoke. It is absorbed into
your blood and makes the blood cells carry less oxygen.
- Tar is a sticky brown substance
that is present in tobacco smoke as tiny particles. It stains
smokers’ fingers and turns teeth yellow. When you smoke, it is
deposited in your lungs and is gradually absorbed into the body. As
long ago as the 1950s it was known to be associated with an
increased risk of lung cancer.
For a more detailed breakdown what
is in a cigarette click through to this page.
Here are some of the known illnesses and diseases caused by
smoking, click on each to learn more:
SMOKING AND
CANCER
SMOKING AND
DIABETES
SMOKING AND SICKLE CELL
DISEASE
SMOKING AND HEART
DISEASE
SMOKING AND
STROKE
SMOKING AND CROHN’S
DISEASE
SMOKING AND
PRE-OPERATION
SMOKING AND CANCER
There are two main types of cancer that may form in the lungs,
which can both be developed from smoking. The first is non-small
cell lung cancers (NSCLC) and the second is known as small cell
lung cancers (SCLC). They are differentiated by the appearance of
the tumour and by the rate in which they grow and spread.
Small cell lung cancers (SCLC) are found in around 20% of all
lungs cancer cases. It is the most aggressive type of cancer and is
likely to spread to other parts of the body. Detection is usually
after it has already spread and is in its later stages. This form
of lung cancer is strongly related to smoking.
The cancer causing chemicals are mainly found in the tar and
when a smoker inhales the smoke from a cigarette, about 70% of the
tar stays inside the lungs. Cigarette smoking causes 87 percent of
lung cancer deaths.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and
women. Lung cancer normally takes many years to develop. Incidence
tend to peak between the ages of 55 and 65 years. The changes in
the lung however can begin almost as soon as a person is exposed to
carcinogenic chemicals.
New research shows that for women who had smoked for 40 years or
longer, the risk of breast cancer was 60% higher than that of women
who had never smoked.
Among those who smoked 20 cigarettes or more a day for 40 years,
the increased risk of breast cancer rose to 83%.
Smoking causes 90% of lung cancers in men and up to 86% of cases
in women in developed countries. If you stop smoking however, the
risk of lung cancer decreases. Year on year, abnormal cells are
replaced by normal cells. After ten years, the risk drops to a
level that is one-third to one-half of the risk for people who
continue to smoke.
Return to page menu
SMOKING AND DIABETES
In the UK, there are about 1.4 million people diagnosed with
diabetes and a further 1 million are believed to be
undiagnosed.
People with diabetes are at greater risk
of raised blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease,
nerve damage and eye complications.
Smoking has been identified as a risk factor
for insulin resistance which can lead to diabetes. Smoking also
aggravates the risk of serious disease and premature death for
those people who already have diabetes.
Smoking increases the already high health
risks associated with diabetes:
- Heart attack or stroke:
smoking reduces the amount of oxygen available for tissues. This
can lead to heart attacks and strokes. People with diabetes who
smoke are three times more likely to die of heart attack or stroke
than people with diabetes who do not smoke. About 11% of all stroke
deaths are estimated to be smoking related
- Blood glucose: smoking
raises blood glucose.
- Blood pressure: smoking
raises blood pressure.
- Cholesterol: smoking
increases some types of cholesterol in blood, increasing the risk
of heart attack and stroke.
- Infections: smoking damages
blood vessels, making it harder for the body to heal. This can
increase the risk of infections and amputations.
- Kidney and nerve disease:
smoking further increases the risk of these two serious
complications of diabetes.
- Erectile dysfunction:
smoking can cause problems associated with getting and maintaining
an erection.
Benefits of Stopping
Smoking
There is overwhelming evidence that
stopping smoking reduces the risk
of cardiovascular disease, lung disease, cancer and
stroke. As diabetes increases the risk for heart disease and
stroke, it follows that stopping smoking will
reduce the risk of complications from diabetes such as
heart disease.
Return to page menu
SMOKING AND SICKLE CELL DISEASE
Sickle Cell Disease is an
inherited blood disorder, passed from parent to child. Children
with sickle cell disease have two defective
genes, one from each parent. Various forms of
sickle cell disorder occur when a person inherits one sickle
cell gene and one defective hemoglobin gene of another type.
If you or your child has sickle cell
disease, there are triggers that can cause your red blood cells to
sickle. Risk of painful events and complications are caused by
sickling.
One of the triggers is smoking:
Smokers or people who are exposed to smoke
with sickle cell have more than twice as many pain episodes (pain
crises) as sickle cell patients who were not exposed to smoke.
Sickle cell crises involve serious symptoms, and often require
hospitalisation.
Researchers in one study estimate that
Environmental Tobacco Smoke exposure increases the risk of crisis
by 90% among children with sickle cell
disease.
This is because:
- Both smoking and inhaling smoke from other
people's cigarettes (secondhand smoke) can damage the lungs and
lower oxygen levels in the blood.
- There is also a link between cigarette smoke
and "acute chest syndrome" in sickle cell anemia. Acute chest
syndrome is when the person with sickle cell may experience the
following: fever, leukocytosis, cough, chest pain, and pulmonary
infiltrates in the chest radiograph.
Benefits of Stopping
Smoking
Not only will you gain the normal benefits of
stopping smoking i.e. cleaner skin, more energy etc. you may also
see a reduction in the amount of pain episodes.
Return to page menu
SMOKING AND HEART DISEASE
Cardiovascular disease refers to disorders of
the heart and circulatory system
Each year, tobacco smoking accounts for more
than 30,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease in the UK.
Approximately 1 in 4 of all smoking-related deaths in the UK
is from cardiovascular disease.
Risk factors for Coronary Heart Disease
(CHD):
- Amongst other factors, cigarette smoke
increases the risk of both having a heart attack and dying from
Coronary Heart Disease, with the risk increased most in younger
smokers. Exposure to other people's smoke also increases the risk
of heart disease for nonsmokers.
- A smoker has two to three times the risk of
having a heart attack than a non-smoker. If both of the other
main risk factors are present then the chances of having a heart
attack can be increased eight times. Even light smokers are at
increased risk of CHD.
The role of smoking in Cardiovascular
Disease
Inhaling tobacco smoke causes several
immediate responses within the heart and its blood
vessels. Within one minute of starting to smoke, the heart
rate begins to rise; it may increase by as much as 30 percent
during the first 10 minutes of smoking. Carbon monoxide in tobacco
smoke also exerts a negative effect on the heart by reducing the
blood’s ability to carry oxygen.
The Benefits of Stopping
Smoking
Whatever a person’s age, it is never too late
to give up smoking. Blood is less likely to clot, and the heart can
pump more blood (and therefore oxygen) around the body with less
effort. Giving up smoking reduces the risk of a heart attack
and is particularly important for those who have other risk factors
such as high blood pressure, raised blood cholesterol levels, are
overweight or diabetic.
Some studies have shown that, within five
years of giving up, the risk of cardiovascular disease is reduced
almost to that of a non-smoker. Giving up smoking after a
coronary attack can halve the chance of a recurrence. Stroke
risk also decreases after stopping smoking. The risk of death from
a further heart attack is reduced by approximately 50% by stopping
smoking.
Return to page menu
SMOKING AND STROKE
There are two different types of strokes. One
is caused by a blood clot, the other by a ruptured blood vessel.
Although the symptoms can be the same, the initial treatment
depends on the type of stroke and also the area of the brain that
is being affected.
What Are The Warning
Signs?
- Sudden severe headache with no known
cause
- Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm
or leg on one side of the body
- Loss of vision or visual disturbances or
dimness, especially if it occurs in only one eye
- Unexplained dizziness, loss of balance,
unsteadiness or a sudden fall, especially if accompanied by any of
the other symptoms
- Sudden confusion, slurred speech or
difficulty speaking or communicating
- Unconsciousness
Smoking doubles the risk for stroke. Smoking
damages blood vessel walls and raises blood pressure. If a woman
smokes, takes oral contraceptives and has a history of
migraines, her stroke risk can be 34 times higher.
Smoking is a major cause of strokes, which often result in
disabilities and may result in death:
- 11% of deaths caused by stroke are due to
smoking.
- Your risk of having a stroke reduces when you
stop smoking. Two years after stopping, your chance of having
a stroke will have decreased significantly. After 5 years, your
risk of having a stroke is about the same as a non-smoker.
What Can I Do To Reduce My Risk Of
Having A Stroke?
The risk of stroke can be reduced in the following ways:
- Stop Smoking
- Controlling High Blood Pressure through
lifestyle changes and/or medication.
- Controlling Heart Disease through lifestyle
changes and/or medication.
- Minimize alcohol consumption to two drinks
per day or less.
- Weight loss if you are overweight.
- Controlling diabetes through blood sugar monitoring and
compliance with your diabetes treatment plan.
Return to page menu
SMOKING AND CROHN'S DISEASE
Cigarette smoking affects all parts of the
body, including the digestive system. This is especially damaging
because the digestive system processes the food we eat into
substances that are needed for the body to function properly.
Crohn's Disease
Crohn’s disease is an ongoing disorder that
causes inflammation of the digestive tract, also referred to as the
gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Crohn’s disease can affect any area of
the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus, but it most commonly
affects the lower part of the small intestine, called the ileum.
The swelling extends deep into the lining of the affected organ.
The swelling can cause pain and can make the intestines empty
frequently, resulting in diarrhea. People who smoke, or who have
smoked in the past, have been shown to have a higher risk of
developing Crohn's disease than non-smokers. Crohn's disease
patients who smoke have an increased number of relapses and repeat
surgeries, as well as more of a need for aggressive and
immunosuppressive treatment. No one knows why smoking worsens
Crohn's disease. It is theorised that smoking may decrease blood
flow to the intestines or trigger a response in the immune system.
Even after quitting smoking, there is still a risk of Crohn's
disease to the former smoker. However, people with Crohn's disease
may have a milder disease course if they stop smoking for more than
one year.
Heartburn
Heartburn can also be caused by smoking. A
valve at the end of the esophagus (the lower esophageal sphincter,
or LES) normally keeps stomach acids from coming back up into the
esophagus. The LES is weakened by smoking, which results in stomach
acid being able to enter the esophagus and cause heartburn. Smoking
also seems to harm the esophagus directly, which hinders its
ability to resist damage. Additionally, smoking interferes with the
movement of bile salts. Bile salts move from the intestine to the
stomach. When this does not occur (a disease called duodenogastric
reflux) the stomach acid becomes more acidic and can further damage
the esophagus.
Liver
Another organ in the digestive tract that is
adversely affected by smoking is the liver. The liver is an
important organ which filters toxins from the body. These toxins
include medications and alcoholic beverages. The function of the
liver may be hindered by cigarette smoke. When this happens, a
different dose of medication is needed to achieve the desired
effect on an illness or disease. Smoking can also aggravate
existing liver disease caused by alcoholism.
Peptic Ulcer
Smokers have a higher chance of developing an ulcer. If a smoker
gets an ulcer, it typically takes longer to heal and is more fatal
than those of nonsmokers. No one is certain about why this is so,
but it could be due to the variety of effects smoking has on the
digestive tract. Smoking decreases the amount of sodium bicarbonate
produced by the pancreas. Without it, stomach acid is not
neutralised in the
duodenum (first part of the small intestine). This could
contribute to ulcers forming in the duodenum. Also, smoking may
cause an increase in the amount of stomach acid that is flowing
into the duodenum.
Return to page menu
SMOKING AND PRE-OPERATION
Smokers have a higher risk of complicated
tissue and wound healing after surgery than nonsmokers. We tested
the hypothesis that short-term pre-operative cessation of smoking
in colorectal surgery decreases the incidence of postoperative
tissue and wound complications.
Stop before your op!
If you are waiting for an operation then it’s
very important that you stop smoking as soon as possible. Smoking
greatly increases the risk of complications during and after
surgery. Some operations aren’t even an option for smokers.
- Smokers are far more likely to have
anaesthesia-related complications.
- Smoking can delay your recovery and the
wounds are slower to heal.
Smoking increases the risk of
anaesthesia and complications
If you smoke 10 cigarettes a day you have six
times more risk of post-operative breathing problems. This risk
increases the more you smoke and the longer you have smoked. There
are several reasons for this:
- Smokers need more anaesthesia for all
surgery.
Anaesthesia helps to reduce spasms and
coughing during and after an operation. But because the tar in
tobacco smoke constantly irritates the lungs, smokers need more
anaesthesia to lessen these problems. This gives a higher risk of
anaesthesia-related complications.
- Smokers have a higher chance of chest
infections after surgery.
Smoking destroys the little hair or cilia that
help to clean out your lungs. The mucus in smoker’s lungs is
contaminated with tar and other poisons in tobacco smoke. After
anaesthesia it is very important for all patients to clear mucus
out of the lungs. Even non-smokers are at risk of post-op pneumonia
if the lungs don’t clear the mucus. But the risk for smokers is
much greater as the lungs can’t clean themselves. The poisons in
tobacco smoke build up and cause a higher risk of chest
infections.
- Smokers spend longer in the recovery room and
need extra oxygen.
All patients go to the recovery room after an
operation until they are considered stable enough to return to the
ward. But smokers need a lot more time in the recovery room before
they stabilise. All smokers are at risk. Light smokers spend as
long recovering as heavy smokers, so cutting down is not an
effective option. After anaesthesia the blood is unable to supply
enough oxygen to the body and most patients are given extra oxygen
in the recovery room. Carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke robs the
blood of oxygen so smokers often need more oxygen therapy and for
longer than non-smokers. Smokers often need oxygen even after they
leave the recovery room.
Smokers have lower wound
healing
Smokers have slower healing of wounds whether
they are caused by surgery, injury or disease.
- Smokers have less oxygen to help healing
Healing is helped by plenty of oxygen in the
blood reaching the wound. But nicotine in tobacco smoke makes the
blood vessels tighten and this reduces the amount of blood reaching
the wound. Then the carbon monoxide in smoke robs the blood of
oxygen. The wound cannot heal as not only is there a reduced blood
flow but also there is a lower level of oxygen in the blood.
- Nicotine causes other problems for
healing
Nicotine in tobacco smoke damages the
production of red blood cells that carry essential healing
chemicals to the scar tissue. Nicotine also make blood platelets
‘sticky’. Platelets are a type of blood cell needed for clotting.
This can lead to lots of small blood clots at the site of the
wound. This reduces the blood flow to the area and slows the
healing process.
The sooner you stop before your op,
the better!
Stopping smoking at least 8 weeks if not
months before an operation is best. If you stop smoking 6 months
before an operation you can reduce your risks of post-operative
lung complications to the same as those for someone who has never
smoked.
Return to page menu