Effects of Tobacco Smoke on Human Health

    Cards (6)

    • Chemicals in Tobacco Smoke - Nicotine
      • increases heart rate and blood pressure
      • increases risk of blood cloys in the arteries, which leads to increased risk of coronary heart disease
      • increases the risk of arteries to narrow - in a pregnant mother, narrow arteries decrease the amount of food substances reaching the fetus, affecting development and may cause miscarriage
    • Chemicals in Tobacco Smoke - Carbon monoxide
      • reduces the ability of blood to transport oxygen as carbon monoxide binds permanently with haemoglobin. Thus less haemoglobin is available to transport oxygen - in a pregnant mother, less oxygen reaches the fetus through the placenta which may affect fetal development
      • increases risk of coronary heart disease
    • Chemicals in Tobacco Smoke - Tar
      • increases risk of cancer in the lungs as tar can cause uncontrolled cell division
      • increases risk of chronic bronchitis and emphysema as tar paralyses the cilia lining in the air passages. Dust particles become trapped in the mucus lining and cannot be removed
    • Chronic Bronchitis
      • prolonged exposure to irritant particles that are found in tobacco smoke may cause chronic bronchitis
      • the epithelium lining of the air passages become inflamed
      • excessive mucus is secreted by the epithelium
      • the cilia on the epithelium become paralysed, mucus and dust particles cannot be removed
      • air passages become blocked, making breathing difficult
      • in order to breathe, persistent coughing occurs to clear the air passages, increasing the risk of lung infections
    • Emphysema
      • persistant and violent coughing due to bronchitis may lead to emphysema
      • the partition walls between the alveoli break down due to persistent and violent coughing
      • decreased surface area for gaseous exchange
      • lungs lose their elasticity and become inflated with air
      • breathing becomes difficult, causing wheezing and severe breathlessness
      • when a person has chronic bronchitis and emphysema, they are said to suffer from chronic obstructive lung disease
    • Lung Cancer
      • risk of lung cancer increases when a person smokes tobacco
      • cancer is the uncontrollable division of cells producing outgrowths or lumps of tissues
      • tobacco also increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, pancreas, kidney and urinary bladder