Better Health Centre |+| Smoking and High Blood Pressure

Smoking and High Blood Pressure…two killers together!

The perfect recipe for an unexploded device – smoking and high blood pressure!

Do you fit into this category?

How many times have you heard smokers, or have you as a smoker, said you would only quit if you only had the will power to do so. Smoking has been proven to cause serious physical health problems, as well as help increase the risk of developing chronic diseases that can even result in death.  These scary facts alone still yet do not appear to provide people with the will power they need to quit.

Most people are aware of the link between smoking and lung cancer, but many do not appear to know about the link between smoking and high blood pressure. 

There have been several studies done on smoking and high blood pressure that prove the links between smoking and cardiovascular disease. Many of these studies have estimated that two out of every three deaths related to high blood pressure were smokers, or were exposed to second hand smoke on a regular basis.

People continue to smoke even though nicotine and carbon monoxide have both been proven to be highly dangerous substances. These substances cause the heart to work harder than it has to, thus causing the blood pressure to rise. 

Carbon monoxide is actually a lethal gas, and can affect the haemoglobin in our blood.  It interferes in the process where oxygen needs to attach itself to the haemoglobin, which is necessary so the oxygen can reach our heart and lungs. Death can ultimately occur, due to lack of oxygen to the heart and lungs. Enough evidence to make you think seriously about the problem – isn’t it?

Other common problems associated with smoking and high blood pressure can be the effect smoking can have on your brain, as well as causing hypertension. 

The brain requires a certain level of oxygen to function properly. If oxygen can’t make it to the brain and reach these levels, this could ultimately result with a stroke. Avoiding cigarette smoke can eliminate this risk of developing high blood pressure or having a stroke.

But…there is some good news among all the bad! 

The studies that have been done have also found people who quit smoking reduce their risks of developing high blood pressure within 18 months! Now that’s good news.

By giving up the habit of smoking, a smoker can decrease the risks of high blood pressure as those who have never smoked.  This news should inspire anyone to put down they’re cigarettes and kick the habit once and for all.