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Cigarettes & Blood Pressure

Cigarettes have been linked to a long list of health issues, including lung cancer and emphysema. But less commonly known health issues include heart problems and high blood pressure.

  1. Nicotine

    • The nicotine in cigarettes causes the constriction of blood vessels in the body, which temporarily increases blood pressure and heart rate.

    Significance

    • Smoking alone may not cause high blood pressure, but it can exacerbate any existing symptoms and speeds up the development of high blood pressure and related illnesses.

    Increased Risks

    • In people with high blood pressure, according to Mt. Sinai Medical Center, smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease by more than the separate risks of smoking and high blood pressure added together.

    Carbon Monoxide

    • The carbon monoxide in cigarettes decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood. When combined with the increased heart rate and blood pressure from smoking, irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, can develop.

    Considerations

    • According to Dr. Elijah Saunders of the University of Maryland's School of Medicine, smokers who quit smoking will see their risk of heart disease go down by 65 percent.

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