Smoking and on what it does to your coronary arteries

in #health7 years ago

Each time a patient is admitted to us having a heart attack, we have a habit of always looking for the greatest risk factor that we can attribute it to, so even if there's none, we will say "You're a male, that's why!" Well, the occurence of heart attack is higher for males than females, that we know as much as research have shown that. Although, there are probably a lot of unknown risk factors for ischemic heart disease that have not been pointed out. But, do you need to worry? So long as you're healthy and not smoking?

Smoking kills...really.

In what way? Probably in more ways than what we've been told or from what we've read from a lot of literature but i'll just stick to one story. Last night.

A 34 year old man was brought to us by the Emergency Services  (the LAS), who was chest pain free on arrival from a general hospital, his cardiac marker for heart attack was found to be way up, a troponin of almost 30,000, normal is 30. He's got a history of intermittent chest pain for a week that was worst yesterday, hence the admission. With only a risk factor of SMOKING with a 12 years history, nothing else was found.

His electrcardiogram (ECG) shows anterior T wave inversion and with LBBB and was cardiovascularly stable. With his troponin result, an immediate angiogram was done and subsequently, an angioplasty and a stent. His Left anterior descending artery (LAD) was 90% blocked with good flow down to the rest of the artery. Looking at his angiogram, a 34 year old should not have that result, all patent and smooth, except that blockage...and i felt very sad for him. The delay of his admission have also affected his LV function as  his ECHO shows moderately impaired. How this will affect his present job depends on his exercise tolerance test after discharge.

Facts:

Smoking stimulates the formation of fatty plaques (known as atheroma) leading to the narrowing of arteries and reduce blood flow.
Nicotine and carbon monoxide constrict blood vessels.

Ever heard of a 100 year-old smoker? If you might have, I guess it is possible. That man might have found what they called the elixir of youth? of life? PERHAPS. But if you check the above facts, smoking all lead to the narrowing of the arteries. Literature says that a heart attack occurs when a plaque is dislodged and block a narrow artery. Coupled that to the nicotinic effect of further constricting the blood vessels resulting to a partial or total blockage of an artery. 

Some medical personnels do smoke. And we know that it is very easy for us to say "Quit smoking!" It's a cliché but yes, it is easier said than done. How effective are those Nicotine Replacement Therapy adjuncts I am not sure. Some patients are willing to stop with help, but some patients don't find them helpful too. I guess it depends on how a patient make a decision about his future just after having a heart attack.

Did we lose a patient last night? Yes, he was 56 years old, non-smoker but with a history of high cholesterol. I hope you guys won't ever see someone who have suddenly lost a love one. 


Both images were taken last night with my Samsung Galaxy S7.

https://heartuk.org.uk/press/press-kit/key-facts-figures

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I gave up smoking a year ago. This definitely made my life better, but now I became too sensetive to smells, haha:)

Good on you! The smell isn't that appealing, i stop breathing each time i come across anyone that reeks of cigarette or i mouth-breathe.
They said 10 years of stopping before your lungs will go back to its- pre-smoking state :)
Am not sure about that.

Well, now I'm just happy that I don't smell like hell anymore:)

You couldn't smell yourself before? I've always wondered about that. No offence :)

No-no, no offence. That depends. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't. But anyway it's not like a non-smoker does.

What made you stop? if you dont mind me asking. it is a stuggle to my patients.

Sure I don't mind:)
I tryed for a couple of times. Stoped for a few months, them started again. Then after a period of time stoped for a year, but started again when had a terrible toothache. And every time I begged my husband to stop with me, cause when he kept smoking it was nearly impossible for me to live, I smelled it, and felt both: that the smell is horrible, but that I want to start again too. So, when my husband decided to give up I joined him the next day. The only problem was - it happened in a period when I wasn't ready to give up. But I did anyway. For a few months I dreamed about smoking every night. But I understood that it's my chance to make it together. So, a year passed, and we're still on our way:)

oh wow thank you for telling me. am gonna try to incorporate that :)

je suis passée à la cigarette électronique !!

how effective is that for you??

I have been smoke-free for about 6 years now and it is the best decision I have ever made, aside from sharing art on steemit! ;) lol

Well i do appreciate people who can stop as ive seen how some have struggled hard to quit. what made u stopped?

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