Diseases caused by tobacco

What diseases does tobacco cause?

Tobacco, in any of its presentations, causes chronic and even irreversible damage to the healthof human beings, which we explain below:

1. Cancer

Cancer is a disease thatcauses many deaths worldwide, which consists of theexcessive reproduction of damaged or abnormal cells, reaching a point where they exceed normal cells, preventing the organ that possesses them, perform their functions correctly. (1)

Note: Tobacco substances such as nicotine, tar and carbon dioxide, among others(2), produce many types of cancerssuch as lung, larynx, esophagus, mouth andthroat cancer, among others.

2. Pulmonary emphysema and chronic bronchitis

Another consequence of smoking is emphysema and chronicbronchitis, two conditions that formchronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), very common in cigarette smokers. (3)

Pulmonary emphysema is characterized by theprogressive destruction of tissue of these organs, as a result of the dilation of the alveoli or the thinning of the lung walls, causing other conditions such astuberculosis or lung cancer. Smoking aggravates this condition in active and passive smokers.

To highlight: Chronic bronchitis causes irritation of the bronchi and consequent inflammation, due to exposure to nicotine and tobacco smoke, producing, among many other symptoms, difficulty breathing. (4)

3. Cerebrovascular accident

You should know: This happens because the harmful substances in cigarettes enhance other risk factors for stroke such as atherosclerosis and also act on the formation of thrombi, both with the Capacity to obstruct cerebral arteries. (5)

4. High blood pressure

Arterial hypertension is a chronic type disease, which consists of the narrowing by various causes of the walls of the blood vessels, causing a persistently high tension during the pumping of blood from the heart.

Note: Smoking causes cigarette substances, including nicotine, to promote the formation of fatty plaques on the walls of veins and arteries, causing their internal narrowing and actually increasing blood pressure. (6)

5. Angina pectoris and aortic aneurysm

Angina pectoris is a type of ischemic heart disease, caused by the interruption of blood flow to the heart muscles, causing the sensation of pain and tightness in the chest.

For its part, the aortic aneurysm is a bulge that appears on the wall of the main blood vessel that is the aorta, due to a hardening of its walls attributable to cholesterol , high blood pressure or tobacco. (7)

To highlight: In both cases, both nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide cause an increase in bad cholesterol , accelerate the heart rate, produce coagulation disorders and decrease the supply of oxygen to the heart , causing these conditions.

6. Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of autoimmune origin, which is characterized by an immune disorder in the body that attacks its own healthy cells, especially in the joints, causing pain and inflammation.

You should know: This pathology can be enhanced by polluting substances from tobacco , which have a pro-inflammatory effect and generate an excessive increase in free radicals that attack the joints, exacerbating the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. (8)

7. Gum disease

Gum disease or also called periodontitis , is a serious infection of the oral cavity, specifically the gums , which damages the soft tissue and without proper treatment can destroy the bone that supports the teeth.

Important:Tuxedocauses deficiency in the blood circulation of the gums, weakening their structure; In addition, cigarette smokepromotes the formation of bacterial plaque , which also causes irritation to the gums. (9)

8. Gastric ulcers

of in the form of sores by hydrochloric acid that

Note: Nicotine and other toxic substances in tobacco increase the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, favoring the appearance of these sores, causing pain and irritation. (10)

9. Macular degeneration and cataracts

Macular degeneration is aassociated with age,which affects the retina and its consequence is the loss of central vision. The cataract, for its part, is a pathology that consists of the loss of transparency of the crystalline lensand occurs progressively.

To highlight: The harmful substances in tobacco accelerate the degeneration of the retina and lens , due in part to free radicals, causing the consequent deterioration of vision. (eleven)

10. Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Dementia and Alzheimer’s are two diseases caused by the progressive degeneration of brain cells , causing deterioration in cognitive functions and abilities .

You should know: Substances produced by smoking increase the presence of free radicals, which accelerate oxidative damage to healthy brain cells, contributing to the appearance of these Neurological diseases . (12)

Key Findings

• Tobacco consumption generates harmful substances that impair the chemical and metabolic functioning of the organism.
• Tobacco consumption generates an increase in free radicals , which cause the proliferation of malignant cancer cells.
• Tobacco consumption generates cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, very dangerous for human health.
• Many of the diseases caused by tobacco can be treated and stopped, but they do not reverse the damage caused.