How Smoking can Cause High Blood Pressure - What You Should Know

Arteries are blood vessels that carry the blood from the heart to other parts of your body. High blood pressure will occur if the blood cannot pass through these arteries at a normal pace. In relation to smoking, the nicotine content of cigarettes or tobacco causes the arteries to constrict.

The blood in circulation is unable to pass through while the mounting pressure of the suppressed blood flow will result to a temporary rise in the blood pressure. During this time, the heart tends to beat at a faster rate.

Smoking damages the arterial walls and accelerates the hardening of the arteries. It is a major risk factor for any type of cardiovascular disease (CVD). When you smoke, you are doubling the risk of having the CVD problems. In addition, smoking can cause brain attack, heart attack, stroke, and leg pains leading to amputation because of poor blood circulation.

Other than nicotine, cigarettes contain carbon monoxide making both contents highly dangerous substances. In turn, this will deplete the oxygen supply causing the heart to work faster giving rise to high blood pressure.

Carbon monoxide used as commercial gas coming from the combustion of petrol is classified as a lethal gas due to the harmful effect on the haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is a protein in the red blood cells that is responsible for carrying oxygen. Inhaled carbon monoxide will attach itself to the haemoglobin and will result to oxygen starvation.

Lack of oxygen will affect the lungs, which consequentially causes the arterial veins of the lungs to harden. Blood circulation will now become difficult in the lung area to the point of suppressing the blood flow. Blood pressure will build up, elevating it to hypertension level.

Hence, high blood pressure is common among long time smokers and those that recently stopped. If smoking is stopped within a period of eighteen months, arterial and cardiovascular disorders will be minimized and will return the blood oxygen to normal level.

Various evidences have linked cigarettes and tobacco products as potential health hazards. It only needs will power to quit. The effects of the nicotine and carbon monoxide substances only make your heart and lungs vulnerable to cardiovascular and pulmonary disorders that can be further complicated by high blood pressure.

Besides, by quitting, you are not only doing this as a favor to yourself but also to the people around you particularly the immediate members of your family. The effect is far worse to them who are medically considered as secondary smokers, likely to develop the same diseases including high blood pressure.