How Does Cigarette Smoking Affect a Person's Health?

How Cigarette Smoking Affects One's Health

Cigarette smoking has a negative affect on the health of the smoker as well as those exposed to second-hand cigarette smoke. The effect can depending on a individual's overall health condition as well as other factors. The majority of long-term cigarette smokers will eventually experience considerable health issues related to cigarette smoking.

Varying Degrees of Health Issues

The negative health issues associated with cigarette smoking can be as mild as bad breath and discolored teeth or as serious as cancer, heart disease and stroke. There are no real predictors as to which smoker will develop which health issue or how serious it will be. Often times, the more serious health complications are diagnosed at a time when treatment methods require more than just quitting smoking.

Minor Affects of Smoking

The minor affects of smoking include bad breath, discolored teeth, tooth decay, gum disease and foul smelling clothes and houses. Although some of these are initially minor issues resulting from smoking, some can cause more serious health complications.

High Blood Pressure

Cigarette smoking places an enormous strain on the respiratory system's job of transporting oxygen throughout the body through the breathing. Cigarette smoking compromises the respiratory system's ability to do so by reducing the amount of oxygen absorbed by the body. When this happens, the heart is required to pump more to acquire more oxygen, causing high blood pressure.

Chronic Pulmonary Disease

One disease most commonly associated with cigarette smoking is chronic pulmonary disease. This is a respiratory disease that is both permanent and incurable. Chronic pulmonary disease is typically diagnosed in one of three forms: emphysema, bronchiectasis and chronic bronchitis.

Vascular Disease

Blood vessels often suffer impairment due to cigarette smoking. Smoking damages the composition of the blood vessels and causes them to work improperly, resulting in hardening of the arteries, which opens the door to peripheral arterial disease, which itself sometimes leads to amputation.

Cancer

Lung cancer is the most common and most serious affect of cigarette smoking. Cancer often results from long-term repeated exposure to the dangerous chemicals and carcinogens found in cigarette smoke. It should be noted too, that although lung cancer is the most common type of cancer for cigarette smokers, other cancers are also related to cigarette smoking such as mouth, tongue, esophageal, kidney and bladder.