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Chronic bronchitis Bronchitis (brong-KY-tis) refers to inflammation * of the bronchial (BRONG-kee-al) tubes, the airways that connect the windpipe to the lungs. This leads to a cough that brings up lots of thick, sticky mucus * . About 14 million Americans have chronic * bronchitis, and smoking is by far the most common cause. Healthy lung of a nonsmoker compared with damaged lung of a smoker. © O. Auerbach, Visuals Unlimited. Emphysema Emphysema (em-fe-ZEE-ma) is a chronic lung disease in which the air sacs of the lungs are overly large. This condition makes the lungs work less efficiently and leads to shortness of breath. About 2 million Americans have emphysema, and most of these cases are caused by smoking. Heart disease A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to part of the heart muscle is decreased or stopped. This happens when one of the large blood vessels that bring blood to the heart is blocked, usually by a buildup of fatty deposits inside the vessel. More than 470,000 Americans die each year from a heart attack. Smokers are twice as likely as nonsmokers to have a heart attack, and two to four times as likely to die suddenly of heart problems. Stroke A stroke occurs when a blood vessel to the brain is blocked or bursts, which can damage the brain. This is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States. Strokes also kill almost 160,000 people a year. Smoking raises the risk of having a stroke. Lung cancer Lung cancer kills more people than any other kind of cancer. Each year, more than 170,000 new cases of lung cancer occur in the United States, and about 160,000 people die from it. Smoking is the direct cause of almost 90 percent of all lung cancer cases. Other cancers Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 different chemicals, and more than 40 of these have been shown to cause cancer in humans and animals. Smokers are more likely to get several kinds of cancer, including that of the mouth, larynx, esophagus, bladder, cervix, pancreas, and kidney.

Smoking – affects on the body • There’s hardly a part of the human body that’s not affected by the chemicals in the cigarettes you smoke. Let’s take a tour of your body to look at how smoking affects it.

Starting at the Top As a smoker, you’re at risk for cancer of the mouth. Tobacco smoke can also cause gum disease, tooth decay and bad breath. The teeth become unsightly and yellow. Smokers may experience frequent headaches. And lack of oxygen and narrowed blood vessels to the brain can lead to strokes.

Lungs and Bronchi • Moving down to your chest, smoke passes through the bronchi, or breathing tubes. Hydrogen cyanide and other chemicals in the smoke attack the lining of the bronchi, inflaming them and causing that chronic smoker’s cough. Because the bronchi are weakened, you’re more likely to get bronchial infections. Mucus secretion in your lungs is impaired, also leading to chronic coughing. Smokers are 10 times as likely to get lung cancer and emphysema as nonsmokers.

Smoking and the Heart The effects of smoking on your heart are devastating. Nicotine raises blood pressure and makes the blood clot more easily. Carbon monoxide robs the blood of oxygen and leads to the development of cholesterol deposits on the artery walls. All of these effects add up to an increased risk of heart attack. In addition, the poor circulation resulting from cholesterol deposits can cause strokes, loss of circulation in fingers and toes and impotence.

Smoking and the Body’s Organs • The digestive system is also affected. The tars in smoke can trigger cancer of the esophagus and throat. Smoking causes increased stomach acid secretion, leading to heartburn and ulcers. Smokers have higher rates of deadly pancreatic cancer. Many of the carcinogens from cigarettes are excreted in the urine where their presence can cause bladder cancer, which is often fatal. High blood pressure from smoking can damage the kidneys.

The Results • The health effects of smoking have results we can measure. Forty percent of men who are heavy smokers will die before they reach retirement age, as compared to only 18 percent of nonsmokers. Women who smoke face an increased risk of cervical cancer, and pregnant women who smoke take a chance with the health of their unborn babies. • But the good news is that when you quit smoking your body begins to repair itself. Ten years after you quit, your body has repaired most of the damage smoking caused. Those who wait until cancer or emphysema has set in aren’t so lucky—these conditions are usually fatal. It’s one more reason to take the big step and quit now.