Smoking & Heart Disease by Jane Thurnell-Read

Here's some information to read or to pass on to those giving up smoking

People often associate lung cancer with tobacco smoking, but the implications for the heart are equally alarming.

Carbon monoxide and nicotine are the two chemicals in cigarette smoke that probably have the most effect on the heart. Carbon monoxide attaches to red blood cells, so that in smokers up to half the blood can be carrying carbon monoxide rather than oxygen.

Nicotine stimulates the body to produce adrenaline which makes the heart beat faster and raises blood pressure, forcing the heart to work harder.

Other parts of the smoke appear to damage the lining of the coronary arteries and this leads to the build up of fatty material in the arteries.

Many smokers have switched to low tar cigarettes. It is the tar that causes cancer, but low tar cigarettes don't necessarily have less carbon monoxide and nicotine, so may be no less harmful for the heart. (This doesn't mean that you should go back to higher tar cigarettes, but it does mean that you can't believe that your health will be fine because you are smoking low tar cigarettes.)

My father's last words before he died of a heart attack were "I'm dying for a cigarette." He had no idea how true that was.

The British Heart Foundation has lots more useful information. You can send for free booklets (UK only) or download PDF files.

Click here to find out what happens to your body when you give up smoking. What about cigarette filters? Are they safe? Click here to find out.Read about o ther things you can do to have a healthy heart.