The snuff and cardiovascular disease

By itself the snuff increases cardiovascular risk by 1.6 times. But if it is associated with other risk factors this factor is multiplied: associated with hypertension, the risk of cardiovascular disease reaches 4.5; April 1 with hypercholesterolemia; and 16 when they all three.

This explains one of the most important findings of the Framingham study on cardiovascular risk factors, in which it is found that for every ten cigarettes a day mortality smoked for cardiovascular disease increases by 18% in men and 31% in the women. The major cardiovascular diseases caused by snuff are angina, myocardial infarction, sudden death and stroke.

The toxic components of smoke snuff act in different ways on the circulatory system:

• Dyslipidemia favor lowering HDL cholesterol and increasing LDL and triglycerides.
• Vasoreactivity deteriorate.
• Cause an increase in platelet aggregation and blood viscosity, favoring thrombosis.
• Limiting the supply of oxygen to the cells.
• Favor the production of central fat.

Ischemic heart disease

It is estimated that smoking causes 29% of deaths from coronary heart disease. Smokers are 70% more likely to suffer a fatal ischemic heart disease, and 200% of suffering a nonfatal ischemic heart disease. In practical terms this means that smokers suffer myocardial about eight years earlier than nonsmokers, and have a much greater chance of recurrence if they stop smoking. Also, it is shown that snuff accelerates the progression of coronary atherosclerosis.

Brain-vascular disease

The risk of stroke or stroke in smokers is 50% higher than non-smokers and is associated with the number of cigarettes smoked daily. Furthermore, middle-aged smokers with hypertension the risk of stroke is multiplied by 12. However, this risk is reduced by quitting smoking to be equal to that of nonsmokers within 10-15 years.

Arteriosclerosis

Nicotine and carbon monoxide are the components of smoke more harmful to the circulatory system snuff, and that accumulate in the blood and induce the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and thus the progressive hardening of the arteries, causing arterioscleroris.