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Risk Factors of SmokingSmoking – however controlled – has been linked to serious health risks. It affects the:
Lungs: It has been revealed that smoking alone is accountable for about 90% of the deaths due to lung cancer. Moreover, it may result in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which also includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Asthamatic smokers who give up smoking can improve their lung function in as little as a week. Therefore the harmful effects of smoking can be easily reversed.
Cardiovascular System: Tobacco, in all its forms (smoking, chewing tobacco and inhaling second hand smoke), is known to raise the risk of heart attacks. Smokers face a risk up to three times greater of having a heart attack compared to non-smokers. The risk of heart attacks among those who have stopped smoking slowly decreases over time.
Effects on Male Fertility and Impotence: Smoking negatively affects a man's sexuality and fertility. It is said to be a contributory factor in impotence because it decreases the blood flow into the penis. In men with high blood pressure, smoking causes an almost 26-fold increase in impotence.
Smoking weakens sperm motility, decreases sperm lifespan, and has the potential to cause genetic changes that can affect the offspring. In addition, smokers (both men and women) are found to have lower success rates with fertility treatments. Moreover, studies have revealed that male smokers have a decreased libido and therefore less frequent sex.
Effects on Female Infertility, Pregnancy, and Childbirth: In women, smoking is linked to many reproductive problems. Smoking during pregnancy may affect the health of the foetus. Negative effects of smoking on female fertility include:
- Greater risk for infertility (in women who smoke one or more packs a day or start smoking before the age of 18
- Earlier menopause (because toxins in cigarette smoke damage the eggs)
- Pregnancy complications (smoking increases the risk for ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage)
Medical Advice for Stop Smoking
It is the nicotine in cigarettes that causes the addiction. However, nicotine replacement products help in smoking cessation. They deliver small, measured doses of nicotine into the body. This helps relieve cravings and withdrawal symptoms and thus help people quit smoking.
These nicotine replacement products prevent the person from inhaling tobacco smoke which contains many toxic and cancer-causing substances. Even long-term use of nicotine replacement products is not known to be associated with any serious harmful effects.
All the approved nicotine replacement products are equally effective. They are:
Nicotine Patch is available without a prescription. This patch is changed daily and worn on a different location everyday. It sends a steady amount of nicotine into the body. The nicotine patch comes as pat of an 8-week quit smoking treatment. As the treatment progresses, nicotine doses are gradually lowered. However it is not advisable for people who are allergic to adhesive tape or who have skin problems. In addition, people who experience side effects like vivid dreams must opt to wear the patch only during the day.