Why is a smoking such a big factor to cardiovascular disease?
The main contributor to cardiovascular disease is smoking. If someone was to smoke the chance of them getting a heart attack is nearly double comparing to someone who does not currently smoke shown in figure 1. If you do have a heart attack from smoking then the chance of the person suddenly dying is five times more likely.
<<< Figure 1 - The statistics of cardiovascular disease and smoking. |
Cigarette and tobacco smoke, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity and diabetes are the six major independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease that you can modify or control.
Smoking is as widespread and significant enough as a risk, that the Surgeon General has called it "the leading preventable cause of disease and deaths in the world."
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by itself. When it acts with other factors, it greatly increases risk of obtaining a disease. Smoking increases blood pressure, decreases exercise tolerance and increases the tendency of blood clotting. Smoking also increases the risk of recurrent coronary heart disease after bypass surgery.
Cigarette smoking is the most important risk factor for young men and women. It produces a greater relative risk in persons under age 50 than in those over 50, although it is often believed otherwise. Women who smoke and use oral contraceptives greatly increase their risk of coronary heart disease and stroke compared with non-smoking women who use oral contraceptives.
Smoking decreases good quality cholesterol. Cigarette smoking combined with a family history of heart disease also seems to greatly increase the risk of getting some kind of cardiovascular disease.
Smoking is as widespread and significant enough as a risk, that the Surgeon General has called it "the leading preventable cause of disease and deaths in the world."
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by itself. When it acts with other factors, it greatly increases risk of obtaining a disease. Smoking increases blood pressure, decreases exercise tolerance and increases the tendency of blood clotting. Smoking also increases the risk of recurrent coronary heart disease after bypass surgery.
Cigarette smoking is the most important risk factor for young men and women. It produces a greater relative risk in persons under age 50 than in those over 50, although it is often believed otherwise. Women who smoke and use oral contraceptives greatly increase their risk of coronary heart disease and stroke compared with non-smoking women who use oral contraceptives.
Smoking decreases good quality cholesterol. Cigarette smoking combined with a family history of heart disease also seems to greatly increase the risk of getting some kind of cardiovascular disease.