Smoking destroys not only the lungs: a doctor revealed the hidden consequences.

      Smoking remains one of the main factors influencing the development of non-communicable diseases and premature mortality. Doctors emphasize that, unlike heredity or age, this habit is among the factors that a person can influence independently.

      Alexey Favorovsky, the deputy chief physician of the Nizhny Novgorod Regional Narcological Dispensary, explained how nicotine affects the body and why quitting cigarettes can significantly reduce health risks.

      A blow to the heart and blood vessels

      According to the specialist, smoking is directly related to the development of ischemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes, chronic lung diseases, and oncology. The cardiovascular system suffers the most. Nicotine causes an increased heart rate, raises blood pressure, and narrows blood vessels. As a result, the heart works under constant overload, and the risk of heart attack and stroke significantly increases.

      As noted by Alexey Favorovsky, the likelihood of the first manifestation of ischemic heart disease in smokers is 1.5 to 4 times higher compared to non-smokers. The frequency of myocardial infarctions among them is three times higher, and mortality from cardiovascular diseases among people who smoke 20 or more cigarettes a day exceeds that of non-smokers by 2.5 times.

      Smoking affects the brain

      Nicotine also affects the central nervous system. Due to impaired blood supply to the brain, a person's memory, attention concentration, and cognitive functions gradually decline. With prolonged exposure to toxic substances, coordination of movements and fine motor skills may be disrupted. It becomes more difficult for a person to perform precise actions in everyday life.

      The risk of oncology increases dozens of times

      One of the most serious threats that doctors mention is oncological diseases. According to data provided by Alexey Favorovsky, the likelihood of developing lung cancer in heavy smokers is 20 to 30 times higher than in people who have never used tobacco. The World Health Organization links smoking to about 22% of all cancer deaths worldwide.

      Toxic substances found in tobacco smoke, including benzene, formaldehyde, and polonium-210, pose a danger. They can provoke cell mutations and increase the risk of lung, laryngeal, esophageal, pancreatic, bladder cancer, and other organs.

      Lungs suffer even in the early stages

      Smoking is considered the primary cause of chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma. Respiratory system disorders can appear even in young people who started smoking relatively recently.

      Some of the first symptoms include shortness of breath, prolonged cough, and difficulty breathing even with light physical exertion. Tobacco smoke damages lung alveoli, reduces lung elasticity, and causes bronchial inflammation.

      Over time, this can lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease—an irreversible condition that requires constant medical supervision.

      Nicotine is also dangerous for reproductive health

      According to the specialist, smoking negatively affects the reproductive system. In men, nicotine reduces sperm motility and can lead to erectile dysfunction. In women, it disrupts hormonal balance, worsens egg quality, increases the risk of miscarriages, premature births, and congenital pathologies in children.

      Moreover, even passive smoking during pregnancy poses a serious threat to fetal development.

      Quitting cigarettes reduces risks

      As Alexey Favorovsky emphasized, the consequences of smoking directly depend on the duration of the habit and the number of cigarettes smoked. "The more a person smokes and the longer the habit lasts, the higher the risk of diseases," noted the specialist.

      At the same time, quitting tobacco gradually allows the body to recover. According to the doctor, just five years after quitting smoking, the risk of heart attack decreases by half, and after 10 to 15 years, it becomes close to that of non-smokers.

      The specialist also reminded that the fight against smoking remains one of the priority tasks of healthcare. According to research, quitting tobacco could prevent 3 to 11% of cases of non-communicable diseases. In Russia, smoking is linked to up to 500,000 premature deaths annually.

      Starting in 2025, at the instruction of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a national project "Long and Active Life" is being implemented. Preventive medical examinations and dispensarization are aimed at achieving its goals. The national project "Long and Active Life" is focused on the expected increase in life expectancy by 2030 and involves the renovation of clinics, outpatient clinics, and rural health posts, attracting qualified medical personnel to healthcare institutions, applying new approaches in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic diseases, improving emergency medical care and rehabilitation systems, and developing a network of national research centers and digitizing the industry.

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