Smoking is one of the leading causes of illness and premature death in the UK. The Oxford University published a report in British Medical Journal that showed that the smokers at the age of 50 or more can have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and can expect to survive up to 74 years of age. While those who don’t have any of these risk factors can expect to live till 83 years of age.
Smoking and the heart
The basic function of the heart is to pump blood to different parts of the body. Blood is the medium by which oxygen and nutrients are delivered to body tissues and organs. Smoking affects the walls of the blood vessels and speeds up the hardening of the arteries, which is known as atherosclerosis. It restricts blood circulation leading to the onset of cardiovascular disease. Smoking is also linked with low blood pressure as it can cause anorexia (eating disorder) in smokers as they eat less. The carbon monoxide due to smoking reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. Nicotine released from smoking stimulates the production of adrenaline in the body, which makes heartbeat faster than normal and raises blood pressure. There are substance abuse treatment programs for smokers who want to totally quit smoking.
Smoking and brain
When an individual smokes a cigarette, nicotine is absorbed by the lungs and moved into the bloodstream, where it is circulated to the brain. This happens very rapidly, in fact it takes about 8 seconds for nicotine to reach the brain after it is inhaled. It can also enter the bloodstream through mucous membranes that line the mouth, if tobacco is chewed or a snuff is used. As nicotine reaches the brain, it raises the level of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that produces the feeling of pleasure and reward. But as brain gets used to nicotine, it needs more nicotine to get the same level of pleasure and relaxation. If nicotine is not provided to the brain, it leads to strong cravings that are sometimes hard to overcome with willpower alone.
Other smoking-related risks
Smoking can constrict blood vessels in outer layers of the skin, which can make skin deficient of oxygen and nutrients. Lack of nutrients and oxygen can make skin dry and as a result it ages faster. Smoking can also damage blood vessels in the eyes. Smoking doubles the risk of developing an incurable eye disease known as macular degeneration that damages eyes and causes central vision loss.
Champix – Smoking-cessation pill
Champix is a nicotine-free prescription medication approved for an effective smoking cessation treatment. It can help you quit smoking within as little as 12 weeks. Varenicline is the active ingredient in Champix that binds to the receptors in the brain that respond to nicotine. It not only prevents nicotine withdrawal symptoms, but also stops the pleasurable feeling that you get from smoking.
Champix does so by tricking the brain into believing that it’s getting its dose of nicotine. The safety and efficacy profile of this medication established in clinical trials is remarkable. A few mild-to-moderate side effects associated with Champix are nausea, vomiting, dizziness, stomach pain, fatigue, and loss in appetite. But the benefits that Champix provides to stop smoking outweighs its side effects. The success rate of Champix was found to be 44% amongst people trying to quit smoking as compared to 33% with other quit smoking pills. You should always take Champix under the medical supervision to avoid these side effects.
