Tobacco-Related Diseases



Tobacco-Related Diseases

Emphysema is a progressive lung disease that results in shortness of breath and reduces your capacity for physical activity.

How is emphysema caused?

← Tobacco smoke temporarily paralyzes cilia in bronchial tubes

← Interferes with sweeping movement of the cilia

← Irritants in bronchial tubes infiltrate alveoli

← Tissue gets inflamed and elastic fibers break down

← Alveoli no longer inflate

Chronic bronchitis is a condition that occurs when the inner walls that line the main air passageways of your lungs (bronchial tubes) become infected and inflamed.

How is bronchitis caused?

← Your airways normally produce several tablespoons of mucus secretions every day that are cleared into your throat and swallowed with your saliva.

← Smoke irritates the tissue in the bronchial tubes causing the airways to produce more mucus.

← When cilia are damaged, they can’t clear the mucus and it sits in the bronchial tubes.

← A cough that brings up yellowish-gray or green mucus is one of the main signs of bronchitis.

← May also develop deep hacking cough

Atherosclerosis refers to the buildup of fats in and on your artery walls (plaques), which can restrict blood flow.

What causes atherosclerosis?

← Healthy arteries are flexible, strong and elastic.

← Nicotine and other chemicals can damage the artery.

← Blood cells called platelets often clump at the injury site to try to repair the artery, leading to inflammation.

← Over time, fatty deposits (plaques) made of cholesterol and other cellular waste products also accumulate at the injury and harden, narrowing your arteries.

← The organs and tissues connected to the blocked arteries don't receive enough blood to function properly.

← Pieces of the fatty deposits may rupture and enter your bloodstream.

← This can cause a blood clot to form and damage your organs, such as in a heart attack.

← A blood clot can also travel to other parts of your body and partially or totally block blood flow to another organ.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, among both men and women. It claims more lives each year than colon, prostate, lymph and breast cancers combined.

What causes lung cancer?

← Smoking damages the cells that line the lungs.

← Inhaling cigarette smoke full of cancer-causing substances changes the lung tissue almost immediately.

← At first your body may be able to repair this damage. But with each repeated exposure, normal cells that line your lungs are increasingly damaged.

← Over time, the damage causes cells to act abnormally and eventually cancer may develop.

Leukoplakia is a condition in which thickened, white patches form on your gums, on the inside of your cheeks, the bottom of your mouth and sometimes on your tongue. These patches can't easily be scraped off.

What causes leukoplakia?

← The cause of leukoplakia is unknown, but tobacco, either smoked or chewed, is considered to be the main culprit in its development.

← Chewing tobacco and snuff also play a key role — as many as three out of four regular users of "smokeless tobacco" products eventually develop leukoplakia where they hold the tobacco against their cheeks.

Smoking: Is it worth the risk?

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download