Diseases Caused by Smoking

Smoking causes several diseases. Some of these diseases are COPD (Cardio Pulmonary Disease), CHF (Congestive Heart Failure), Lung Cancer, Asthma, Pneumonia, and Emphysema, these are the lung related diseases which smoking cigarettes can cause. Other medical conditions caused or contributed to by smoking cigarettes are Arterial Sclerosis, Blood Clots, Stokes, Mouth and Stomach Cancers, as well as some other Cancers, Birth Defects, Low Birth weight, Premature Labor, Miscarriage. Smoking can also cause bad breath, things taste different, and home and clothing smell of smoke.

COPD (Cardio Pulmonary Disease)
is a serious disease of the lungs and heart and blood stream. COPD causes breathing problems and makes the capillaries ability to put oxygen into the blood stream. The exchange of oxygen and Carbon dioxide in the capillaries is not efficiently exchanged.

CHF (Congestive Heart Failure)
is heart disease. This causes not enough blood to be circulated in the body and also causes the heart tissue to slowly die. It also causes swelling due to the heart not being able to circulate the blood out of the lower extremities properly. This also causes fluid to build up around the heart and can cause heart failure.

Lung and other Cancers
Cancer caused by smoking cigarettes is caused by the carcinogens in cigarettes. Carcinogens are cancer causing agents which are inhaled when smoking cigarettes and also can enter the body when tobacco is smoked in a pipe, cigar or chewed. Mouth Cancer is more likely caused by chewing tobacco than smoking cigarettes, however mouth, throat and stomach cancers can be caused by smoking cigarettes as well. Carcinogens inside of the body can settle anywhere and cause just about any type of cancer.

Asthma, Pneumonia and Emphysema

Asthma is a disease of the lungs in which the bronchial tubes spasm and constrict. This narrowing of the bronchial tubes causes difficulty breathing and lack of oxygen to the body and organs. Asthma also causes the alveoli (the little nodules in the lungs which put oxygen into the blood stream) in the lungs, to become full of mucous and impede their ability to transfer oxygen into the blood stream. Extreme asthma attacks can cause the patient to be intubated to assist breathing. Severe asthma attacks can also cause pneumonia to develop. Pneumonia is fluid in the lungs which causes the lungs not to be able to fill with oxygen because of the fluid in the lungs. During both Asthma attacks and Pneumonia the oxygen levels in the blood stream can be reduced to the point of death. Oxygen levels are monitored carefully during both of these as well.

Asthma and Pneumonia can both be corrected if the patient quits smoking. The damage to lungs can be slowly reversed if caught early enough and the patient quits smoking soon enough. Emphysema is, however, not reversible. Emphysema is permanent damage to the lungs caused by smoking and repetitive Asthma attacks and Pneumonia episodes. This damage is scaring of the lungs, resulting in loss of elasticity of the lungs. Emphysema also causes the loss of elasticity of the lungs, the alveoli in the lungs cannot completely deflate and therefore the patient cannot get enough oxygen into the lungs because of the old air in the lungs. Emphysema also causes difficulty in exhaling completely due to the loss of elasticity of the lung. Old air is then left in the lung and alveoli and make it more difficult for the alveoli to exchange oxygen for the carbon dioxide in the lungs. This causes the rest of the body not to receive adequate oxygen to function. The patient has trouble breathing because of these conditions.

Arterial Sclerosis and Strokes and Blood Clots in body and Lungs

Arterial Sclerosis occurs when the arteries become blocked with fats which then turn into plaque and causes the arteries to harden. This plaque causes the arteries to become blocked and causes the arteries to no longer carry the blood to the various parts of the body. Smoking contributes to Arterial Sclerosis by making the blood more sticky and combines with cholesterols in the blood and turns into plaque. Smoking increases the chances of these plaques building up in arteries, in addition to other contributing factors. These plaques can also break off and become blood clots which completely block the arteries. Blood Clots can also cause strokes. The breaking off of these pieces of plaque and turning into a blood clot can enter a lung or the brain blocking the oxygen rich blood getting where it needs to be for normal function. Blood clots can lodge anywhere in the body and cause swelling and other symptoms based on where the clot lodges. Blood clots in the lungs can also cause death.

These diseases can be avoided, if you quit smoking now.

source: ezinearticles.com