A smoker’s heart rate and blood pressure return to normal 20 minutes after stopping smoking. After one year, the risk of coronary heart disease is reduced by half compared to still smoking.
Master, Doctor Mai Manh Tam, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi, said that smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and many respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis… Most smokers are aware of these risks. However, some believe that “not everyone who smokes gets sick” so they continue to use it.
After 20 minutes of stopping smoking, heart rate and blood pressure return to normal. Dr. Tam explained that nicotine in cigarettes stimulates the production of adrenaline – a sympathetic hormone that makes the heart beat faster, causing high blood pressure.
Carbon monoxide (CO) gas contained in cigarette smoke, when absorbed into the blood, will bind tightly to hemoglobin in red blood cells, reducing the number of red blood cells that can transport oxygen. From there, the amount of oxygen supplied to tissues and cells is reduced.
Energy is generated through anaerobic reactions, and it also produces lactic acid, causing the body to quickly tire and weaken. CO contributes to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke and other circulatory problems. After 12 hours of not smoking, CO levels decrease to normal levels.
Smokers often excrete more phlegm than non-smokers, while the ability to remove phlegm from the respiratory tract is poorer. Therefore, smokers often have symptoms of coughing and expectorating a lot of phlegm. After quitting smoking for 1-9 months, symptoms of cough and shortness of breath tend to decrease. After 2-12 weeks of quitting smoking, the body begins to restore respiratory and circulatory functions.
After a year of no longer using, the risk of coronary heart disease is reduced by half compared to a current smoker. The cause of coronary artery disease is the progression of arteriosclerosis due to long-term exposure to CO gas in cigarette smoke. This risk can happen to active and passive smokers. After 15 years of quitting smoking, the risk of coronary heart disease is reduced to the same level as that of a non-smoker.
Cigarette smoke increases the production of catecholamines, causing arrhythmia and coronary artery spasm, manifested by angina and heart palpitations. Coronary artery spasm can occur just after the patient uses a cigarette. Combined with the risk of atherosclerosis, smokers have an increased risk of heart stroke. If you quit smoking for 5 years, your risk of heart attack is reduced to the same as that of a non-smoker.
Smoking can also lead to many types of cancer, of which lung cancer accounts for the highest rate. After 10 years of quitting smoking, the chance of getting lung cancer is reduced by half compared to a smoker. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, pancreas… is reduced.
Quitting smoking brings many health benefits, but many people find it difficult to persevere due to nicotine cravings, anxiety, depressed mood, difficulty concentrating, irritability, restlessness, insomnia, and headaches. , digestive disorders… These symptoms are most severe in the first three days, gradually decreasing within 2-4 weeks in most smokers.
Doctor Mai Manh Tam advises smokers to clearly understand the benefits of quitting smoking and be persistent; Family, colleagues and friends should monitor and remind. Doctors can prescribe medication to help quit smoking if necessary.