Table of contents:
- How does smoking cause strokes?
- What is the relationship between smoking and stroke?
- What about passive smoking
- What are the benefits of quitting smoking?
Smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for stroke. However, nicotine dependence coupled with the smoking habit makes the addiction even stronger so that many smokers have tremendous difficulty quitting, even though you know how dangerous this smoking habit is.
How does smoking cause strokes?
A number of different chemicals are absorbed into the body through cigarette smoke, causing changes in brain blood vessels that are harmful in the long and short term.
The speed of blood flow through blood vessels to the brain changes during and immediately after smoking. In addition, constant injury to the lining of the brain blood vessels (blood vessels that supply blood to the brain) can contribute to a long-term vascular disease called cerebrovascular disease, which often occurs in stroke sufferers. Blood vessels in the brain become more likely to experience blockage and increased blood clotting after repeated exposure to chemicals inhaled through cigarettes.
Secondhand smoke also produces variations in heart rate and heart function which in turn can lead to strokes.
What is the relationship between smoking and stroke?
Smoking can contribute to the risk of strokes and attacks transient ischemic (TIA), which is a small, curable stroke. Some people who have had a stroke experience the warning signs of a TIA at first, while some people have a sudden, severe, permanent stroke without any warning signs or a previous TIA. A TIA is always an indication of the risk of a serious stroke that may occur at a later date.
Many smokers also suffer silent stroke, which was a minor stroke that did not result in an overt neurological complaint. Problem silent stroke that happens over time can interfere with the brain's ability to function properly and can eventually lead to the sudden onset of serious neurological problems, such as dementia.
Smokers who suffer from a TIA, stroke, or silent stroke definitely at risk of recurrence or more serious stroke if they continue to smoke. Thus, a TIA condition is a clear sign for the smoker that there is damage from a stroke developing in his body. One or more occurrences silent stroke smokers should also watch out for any sizeable injury to appear in the brain.
What about passive smoking
Smoking has a dramatic impact on the incidence of stroke throughout a smoker's lifetime. However, scientific research studies have also shown that the risk of stroke in secondhand smoke also increases.
It was determined that the higher the smoke exposure in secondhand smoke, the higher the chance of stroke. The partner of a person who smokes, even though he or she does not smoke, but is frequently exposed to high concentrations of secondhand smoke over the years, has a higher risk of stroke than people with the same health condition but not regularly exposed to secondhand smoke.
What are the benefits of quitting smoking?
Interestingly, the damage caused by smoking that leads to stroke has actually been shown to recover 5-10 years after quitting smoking. This means that it is better if you quit smoking even after years of addiction and exposure. Even patients who have had a TIA have been shown to experience healing damage from smoking after quitting smoking, and also substantially reduce the risk of stroke.
It should be noted that for people who have had a stroke, it is difficult to see that their neurological symptoms have actually subsided thanks to quitting smoking. And even though the effect is not felt, quitting smoking automatically reduces the risk of having a second stroke.
However, quitting smoking cannot cure lung cancer if a person already has cancer. Therefore, it is best to quit smoking before serious health problems arise, and not wait for them to arise.
There are not enough data to accurately determine whether e-cigarettes have the same effect on stroke risk as traditional cigarettes.
