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Tobacco & High Blood Pressure

The official scientific position of the American Heart Association states, "Cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States." Although smoking-induced high blood pressure itself is not a cause of death, the consequences of high blood pressure can be. Quitting the use of tobacco substantially reduces your risk of premature death from heart disease.

  1. High Blood Pressure

    • Blood pressure is a measure of the force against the artery walls. The upper number, or systolic pressure, represents pressure while the heart is contracting and pumping blood. The lower number, or diastolic pressure, represents pressure while the heart is at rest between contractions. A blood pressure of 120/80 is considered normal. Pressure exceeding 140/90 is considered high blood pressure, or hypertension.

    Results of High Blood Pressure

    • High blood pressure, just like high water pressure in pipes, can damage the vessels through which the blood is flowing. When a blood vessel breaks, an aneurysm or stroke results. When a blood vessel is damaged, plaque formation (atherosclerosis) causes poor blood flow, manifesting as even higher blood pressure, heart disease, peripheral vascular disease or kidney disease.

    Short-Term Mechanism

    • Immediately after beginning a smoke, the nicotine in tobacco directly raises blood pressure by constricting blood vessels. Catecholamines, stress hormones released by the adrenal glands, increase in the bloodstream and add to the effect.

    Long-Term Mechanism

    • Indirectly, the chemicals from tobacco damage the vessel walls, causing atherosclerosis, which restricts blood flow, thereby raising pressure, an effect that is long-term. Damage is caused by free radical production, increased platelet stickiness, chemical damage to artery linings, increased cholesterol and surges in blood pressure.

    Smoking and Hypertension

    • Not only does smoking contribute to hypertension, but people with high blood pressure who smoke are more at risk than the average person. Smoking doubles or triples the risk of hypertension, causing heart disease death. To a lesser extent, those who smoke cigars or pipes and those exposed to second-hand smoke have the same risks as cigarette smokers.

    SmokelessTobacco and Hypertension

    • Because smokeless tobacco contains nicotine, it does contribute to high blood pressure. More research is needed in this area, but research that has been conducted shows that people who use smokeless tobacco have an increased risk of death from heart disease compared to people who quit smoking completely.

    Quitting Tobacco and Hypertension

    • According to the National Institutes of Health, within 20 minutes of quitting, your blood pressure and heart rate, raised by your last smoke, return to normal. Within one year, your risk of coronary artery disease is half that of someone who still smokes.

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