RISKS ASSOCIATED
Smoking can lead to premature Death
%
risk of developing lung cancer if you smoke cigarettes
%
adults diagnosed with COPD reports to be currently smoking.
tobacco causes for deaths annually
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
COPD is a cluster of diseases that cause breathing difficulty, such as emphysema. There is no cure for COPD but it can be managed and treated.
Signs/Symptoms of COPD
- Coughing or wheezing
- Phlegm production
- Shortness of breath
- Easily short of breath
Treatments
- QUIT smoking
- Medication
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Heart Attacks
Heart Attacks occur when there is a blockage or a severe decrease in the flow of blood.
- The chemicals in cigarettes can cause the blood to clot and thicken which leads to a heart attack or stroke. A stroke can lead to permanent brain damage.
Signs/Symptoms of a Heart Attack
- Chest pain that radiates
- Dizziness fainting
- Shortness of breath
- Tachycardia
Cancer
The chemicals in cigarettes are poisonous and there’s carcinogens in each smoked cigarette that causes cancer. Smoking causes the body’s cells and DNA to change as a result of the frequent and constant introduction to smoking to the body. Study found that the risk of developing lung cancer increases to 14% if you smoke cigarettes. Lung Cancer is the most prominent cancer associated with smoking, however, any form of Cancer can develop.
Signs/Symptoms
- Signs of cancer from smoking includes:
- Headaches
- Hoarseness
- Bone pain
- Losing weight without trying
- Shortness of Breath
- A cough that won’t go away
- Blood in the sputum
“COPD is usually caused by cigarette smoking, though long-term exposure to other lung irritants, like secondhand smoke, can also contribute to COPD. However, smoking accounts for as many as 8 out of 10 COPD-related deaths and 38% of the nearly 16 million U.S. adults diagnosed with COPD report current smoking.”
“Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease. The chemicals you inhale when you smoke cause damage to your heart and blood vessels that makes you more likely to develop atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup in the arteries. Any amount of smoking, even occasional smoking, can cause this damage to the heart and blood vessels.”
“The risk of lung cancer for people who smoke is many times higher than for people who don’t smoke. The longer you smoke and the more packs a day you smoke, the greater your risk. Cigar smoking, pipe smoking, and menthol cigarette smoking are almost as likely to cause lung cancer as cigarette smoking. Smoking low-tar or “light” cigarettes increases lung cancer risk as much as regular cigarettes.”
