Smoking

Tobacco smoke contains nicotine.

The habitual smoker thus present in a blood nicotine more or less important.

This drug causes ADDICTION AND DEPENDENCE.

Indeed, nicotine concentrations (blood nicotine) is becoming a necessity in smokers.

The lower nicotine causes cravings for another cigarette again raise the blood levels of nicotine.

Lack causes discomfort, such as the lack of any other drug.

- However, the nicotine causes tachycardia (fast heartbeat), increased blood pressure, nervousness or irritability significant.

- It has a more detrimental effect on memory.

- Also smoking has an adverse effect on cholesterol, in fact, it raises the "bad" cholesterol (LDL), and reduced levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL) in the blood.

(See ATHEROSCLEROSIS).

- Smoking seriously lowers the levels of vitamin C in the blood.

- It leads to hypoxia (decreased blood oxygen) and thus has an important influence in ATHEROSCLEROSIS.

- His negative role in ulcer of the stomach is shown.

- The harmful influence of tobacco is certain the blood it causes vasoconstriction (that is to say, the decrease in arterial caliber).

In particular, you should know that the first puff of a cigarette causes immediate coronary spasm, that is to say a sharp narrowing of the coronary arteries that supply the heart.

- So, the responsibility of tobacco is high in relation arteritis: ARTERITIS LOWER LIMBS or coronary artery disease (see ANGINA).

This is why tobacco is strictly prohibited arteritis and people who made INFARCTION or suffering from ANGINA.

Furthermore, tobacco is quite contraindicated in pregnant women, women who smoke give birth to low birth weight children (smaller than normal children) whose psychomotor development will be slower.

Some U.S. studies suggest that these children then have a school behind the other children.

Finally, be aware that the act of smoking for pregnant women predisposes a child to cancer much later in life.

- In addition, it is impossible to overstate the detrimental role of tobacco in the pathogenesis (strict liability) of chronic bronchitis and chronic respiratory failure.

- Finally, of course, everyone knows that the main cause of lung cancer is tobacco, which is also called into question (especially if the tobacco poisoning is associated with alcohol intoxication) in cancer of the tongue, larynx, pharynx, esophagus.

- Less well known, but still some, the role of tobacco is greatest in the mechanism of induction of cancer of the bladder.

Truly, smoking is a social scourge.

It is essential that governments take more provisions to prohibit smoking in public places and the workplace (see PASSIVE SMOKING).

A number of associations have been in the fight against smoking. The most important seems to be the NATIONAL COMMITTEE AGAINST SMOKING.