Stop Smoking To Lower Blood Pressure

What smoking does to your body is a well-known story.

It can cause heart disease, stroke and lung cancer – not to mention wrinkles and yellow teeth.

But did you know that smoking could also raise blood pressure levels?

If you’re looking for a way to lower your blood pressure, quitting smoking is a good place to start.

That’s because smoking constricts the arteries and restricts the flow of oxygenated blood throughout the body, which in turn raises blood pressure levels.

Smoking also makes it more difficult for the heart to pump blood effectively through our veins and arteries because it damages these vessels as well as restricting their ability to dilate or contract.

The result: higher than normal systolic (top) readings that translate into high blood pressure.

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How smoking affects blood pressure

Smoking increases the heart rate, blood pressure and strain on the cardiovascular system.

These effects may be exacerbated in patients with hypertension (high blood pressure).

Smoking is also associated with vascular disease which can result in myocardial infarction (heart attack), cerebrovascular accident (stroke), peripheral vascular disease, and other smoking-related conditions.

The risks of smoking are made worse by preexisting cardiovascular problems including hypertension, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis or coronary heart disease.

When smoking is combined with other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, the death toll rises dramatically.

Having high blood pressure along with smoking increases the risks of heart attack and stroke even more.

A smoker with hypertension has four to five times higher risk of a heart attack compared to a non-smoker.

Smokers with high blood pressure also have greater chances of developing cerebral infarction.

6 Ways to Quit Smoking

There are things you can do to help when smoking is making your blood pressure too high.

Quitting smoking stops the damage being done to your body immediately, but it may take a few weeks for your blood pressure levels to return to normal.

Be sure to talk with your doctor about smoking cessation if you’re having trouble quitting on your own or if you’ve tried smoking cessation products and haven’t had success.

Here are six ways to quit smoking that may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure.

1. Ask your doctor for help smoking cessation products like nicotine replacement therapy or prescription medication may help you quit smoking more easily.

2. Join a smoking cessation program, such as the American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking program .

3. Make lifestyle changes that support smoking cessation, including eating healthier foods and exercising regularly.

4. Stop smoking in one step, or cut back gradually to lower your risk of smoking withdrawal symptoms.

5. Stay positive about quitting smoking! Keep reminding yourself why you want to quit smoking and stay focused on how good it feels not to smoke anymore.

6. Talk with loved ones who can support you when trying to quit smoking.

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Conclusion

Quitting smoking is beneficial in lowering blood pressure.

Smoking raises blood pressure levels because it restricts the arteries and restricts the flow of oxygenated blood throughout the body.

When you quit smoking, your risk of heart disease and stroke goes down, and your overall health improves.

So if you’re looking for a way to lower your blood pressure, quitting smoking is a good place to start.