“The effects of smoking on heart health...”

Associate Professor. Sercan Okutucu, The harms of smoking to the body are innumerable. Cigarette smoke contains more than 5000 different substances, many of which cause cancer. If smoke is inhaled, these harmful substances are absorbed by the lungs and dispersed throughout the body. Smoking is one of the most important risk factors for diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory system diseases and cancer. In addition, smoking damages all organs and tissues in the body by reducing the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood and disrupting the vascular structure.

Stating that nicotine, carbon monoxide and many other harmful substances in cigarette smoke have negative effects by increasing heart rate and blood pressure in the short term, creating spasms in the vessels and reducing the oxygen content of the blood, Okutucu continued: It makes changes in the fats to facilitate arteriosclerosis and increases the coagulation feature of the blood. As a result of these changes, the vessel narrows, and in more advanced cases, the vessel can become clogged. Since less blood can pass through the narrowed vein, the organ fed from this vein cannot get enough nutrition. When the narrowing or obstruction is in the coronary vessels, the nutrition of the heart is insufficient, and this manifests itself in the form of symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath.

The reader said, “While smoking accelerates cardiovascular disease, it can cause blood pressure irregularities, heart attacks, occlusions in the brain and leg vessels, serious rhythm disorders and sudden death. Half of all premature deaths from smoking are due to heart disease.” said. Saying that the risk of having a heart attack is about 3 times higher than those who do not smoke, Okutucu said, "The risk of heart disease is 50 percent higher in people who smoke only one cigarette a day, compared to those who have never smoked." expressed as.

“What kind of damage are seen in the cardiovascular and respiratory tracts of tobacco products”

Okutucu said, “In Turkey, mostly cigarettes are consumed, hookah, small amounts of cigars and pipes and locally in the form of rolled and chewing tobacco. Millions of people die every year in the world due to health problems caused by tobacco use. He used the following expression: "Although hookah users perceive it as a "harmless" product different from cigarettes, many scientific studies have revealed that hookah is not an innocent product as it is thought. Nargile; It causes many diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory failure, lung cancer, gum diseases, bladder cancer, bronchitis, esophageal cancer, depression, high blood pressure, mouth cancer and lung infections. However, when used jointly, tuberculosis, flu, coronavirus, hepatitis C, cause the spread of contagious infections such as herpes. In fact, hookah is a way of smoking. It is based on vaporizing tobacco blended with different flavors, and no matter how sweetened it is, hookah smokers are known to be at least as exposed to compounds such as nicotine, polycyclic hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrosamines.” According to a report by the World Health Organization, Okur says that even though you breathe about 10 times while smoking, you can breathe 100 times in an hour of hookah smoking and said, “In an hour-long hookah session, 100 to 200 times more smoke than you will get from a cigarette. you breathe. So during a one hour hookah session, you are as impressed as if you had smoked 10 cigarettes.” continued in the form. In fact, hookah is a way of smoking. It is based on vaporizing tobacco blended with different flavors, and no matter how sweetened it is, hookah smokers are known to be at least as exposed to compounds such as nicotine, polycyclic hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrosamines.” According to a report by the World Health Organization, Okur says that even though you breathe about 10 times while smoking, you can breathe 100 times in an hour of hookah smoking and said, “In an hour-long hookah session, 100 to 200 times more smoke than you will get from a cigarette. you breathe. So during a one hour hookah session, you are as impressed as if you had smoked 10 cigarettes.” continued in the form. In fact, hookah is a way of smoking. It is based on vaporizing tobacco blended with different flavors, and no matter how sweetened it is, hookah smokers are known to be at least as exposed to compounds such as nicotine, polycyclic hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrosamines.” According to a report by the World Health Organization, Okur says that even though you breathe about 10 times while smoking, you can breathe 100 times in an hour of hookah smoking and said, “In an hour-long hookah session, 100 to 200 times more smoke than you will get from a cigarette. you breathe. So during a one hour hookah session, you are as impressed as if you had smoked 10 cigarettes.” continued in the form. It is based on vaporizing tobacco blended with different flavors, and no matter how sweetened it is, hookah smokers are known to be at least as exposed to compounds such as nicotine, polycyclic hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrosamines.” According to a report by the World Health Organization, Okur says that even though you breathe about 10 times while smoking, you can breathe 100 times in an hour of hookah smoking and said, “In an hour-long hookah session, 100 to 200 times more smoke than you will get from a cigarette. you breathe. So during a one hour hookah session, you are as impressed as if you had smoked 10 cigarettes.” continued in the form. It is based on vaporizing tobacco blended with different flavors, and no matter how sweetened it is, hookah smokers are known to be at least as exposed to compounds such as nicotine, polycyclic hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrosamines.” According to a report by the World Health Organization, Okur says that even though you breathe about 10 times while smoking, you can breathe 100 times in an hour of hookah smoking and said, “In an hour-long hookah session, 100 to 200 times more smoke than you will get from a cigarette. you breathe. So during a one hour hookah session, you are as impressed as if you had smoked 10 cigarettes.” continued in the form. They are known to be exposed to compounds such as carbon monoxide and nitrosamines at least as much as cigarettes.” According to a report by the World Health Organization, Okur says that even though you breathe about 10 times while smoking, you can breathe 100 times in an hour of hookah smoking and said, “In an hour-long hookah session, 100 to 200 times more smoke than you will get from a cigarette. you breathe. So during a one hour hookah session, you are as impressed as if you had smoked 10 cigarettes.” continued in the form. They are known to be exposed to compounds such as carbon monoxide and nitrosamines at least as much as cigarettes.” According to a report by the World Health Organization, Okur says that even though you breathe about 10 times while smoking, you can breathe 100 times in an hour of hookah smoking and said, “In an hour-long hookah session, 100 to 200 times more smoke than you will get from a cigarette. you breathe. So during a one hour hookah session, you are as impressed as if you had smoked 10 cigarettes.” continued in the form. “In a hookah session that lasts about an hour, you inhale 100 to 200 times more smoke than you would from a cigarette. So during a one hour hookah session, you are as impressed as if you had smoked 10 cigarettes.” continued in the form. “In a hookah session that lasts about an hour, you inhale 100 to 200 times more smoke than you would from a cigarette. So during a one hour hookah session, you are as impressed as if you had smoked 10 cigarettes.” continued in the form.

The harms of cigars are the same as the harms of cigarettes. Just like tobacco in cigarettes, there is tobacco in a cigar. This tobacco also contains some heavy metals from the soil. These metals spread to the body as smoke with combustion and begin to affect the body. In particular, the harms of cigars begin to emerge more clearly after a certain period of time, said Okutucu, and underlined that cigars, like cigarettes, cause serious damage to the body, increase the risk of respiratory tract infections, respiratory failure, heart attack risk 2-3 times and lung cancer. . The reader said, “Pipe smokers carry the same disease risks as cigarette smokers. According to the United States data, it has been determined that the pipe, which is seen as an alternative to cigarettes and cigars, carries the same risks of diseases caused by smoking. said.

Reader: “Cigarettes with low tar in cigarette smoke measurements are defined as “light” and “ultralight”. These cigarettes are just as dangerous as the others. Studies have shown that; No matter which cigarette people smoke, smokers have the same risk of contracting and dying from smoking-related diseases. Although it is believed that it is less harmful to the body, in fact, light cigarettes can go to the farthest corners of the lungs by inhaling more deeply and can be more devastating. In addition, since smokers cannot get enough of cigarettes, they can increase the number of cigarettes smoked daily.” he said.

“Smokers have a higher risk of contracting coronavirus infection”

Okutucu stated that tobacco, electronic cigarettes, hookahs and heated tobacco products have negative effects on general body health and the functions of all our organs. The reader said that the smoke inhaled in tobacco smoke and electronic cigarettes suppresses the immune system, and the smoke prevents the cough reflex in the lungs and facilitates the adhesion of viruses and bacteria that can cause serious infections in the respiratory tract and lungs. For this reason, Okutucu said that the first of the measures to be taken against the coronavirus is to end the use of tobacco products and electronic cigarettes, and continued his words as follows:According to the World Health Organization, smokers have a higher risk of contracting coronavirus infection. In addition, the act of smoking means that the hands are in contact with the lips, which increases the likelihood of transmission of the virus from hand to mouth. There will also be a need to remove the mask frequently to smoke. This will make the protection even more ineffective. Considering these negative effects and the current pandemic, I can say that if you want to quit smoking, now is the time.”

 “Tobacco products cause susceptibility to infection in many organs, especially the respiratory system, cancer and vascular occlusion”

The reader stated that cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable diseases and deaths all over the world. He underlined that many of the side effects of cigarettes, with increasing evidence, can be said to be the result of cigarette suppression of the immune system, and underlined the following: "The main immune system elements affected by smoking are cells with hairy protrusions in the respiratory system, proteins in the secretions, and immune system cells in the organs and blood. By affecting these cells, the risk of infection, cancer and vascular occlusion increases in many organs, especially the respiratory system. “

“The positive effects start immediately after quitting smoking!”

Saying the issue of quitting smoking is very important, the Reader said: “Reducing smoking or smoking only one a day does not help to quit smoking for sure. Drinking less will cause a quick return to the old smoking habit with various excuses. Therefore, smoking should be stopped once and for all.” said. Stating that in some cases who are smokers, drugs that facilitate smoking cessation can be applied, Okutucu said, “What needs to be considered here is whether the patient is suitable for using these drugs. The most important point in quitting smoking is that the patient wants to quit.” stated as.

The reader said: “The positive effects are seen quickly after quitting smoking. After 20 minutes, blood pressure and pulse return to normal, hand and foot circulation improves. After 8 hours, the blood oxygen level returns to normal and the risk of having a heart attack begins to decrease. In about 2-4 weeks, breathing and circulation improve further, which facilitates physical activities such as walking and running.” 4-8 weeks after quitting, problems such as coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing will decrease and your lungs will get stronger. In the next 5 years, the risk of heart attack decreases by half, saying, "10 years after quitting smoking, the risk of lung cancer is halved, while the risk of heart attack approaches the risk of a person who has never smoked." stressed the shape.

 “The rate of smoking among those who have heart problems in Turkey…”

Emphasizing that according to the data of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey in our country, tobacco use is around 30%, Okutucu said that this rate has almost doubled in the rate of heart health problems, and that the rate of continuing to smoke despite heart diseases and heart attack is around 25%, unfortunately. The reader said, “The huge problems caused by smoking can be eliminated, unnecessary losses and deaths can be prevented. Because the problem is so big and so pervasive, it is everyone's job, smoker or non-smoker, to seek a solution. “He stressed its importance.

 “The treatments that will be applied to those who consume cigarettes, hookahs and tobacco products when they are infected with the corona virus are as follows…”

Stating that cigarettes affect our lungs the most, as it is known, Okutucu said, “Using tobacco and tobacco products such as cigarettes and hookahs also impairs the defense mechanisms of the respiratory tract and facilitates the development of many respiratory tract infections, including coronavirus. In the studies conducted during the epidemic, it was determined that the cases of COVID-19, which progressed with severe pneumonia and respiratory failure, were more common in smokers, and the risk of death was higher in this group. When those who consume cigarettes, hookahs and tobacco products are infected with the corona virus, the treatments to be applied are the same as those who do not smoke. However, those who consume cigarettes, hookahs and tobacco products may experience more hospitalizations, more need for breathing machines, and worse response to treatment.