Smoking Tobacco Can Cause Quite a Few Problems Flashcards
How does smoking damage the walls inside the alveoli?
It reduces the surface area for gas exchange leading to diseases like emphysema
What does the tar in cigarettes damage?
The cilia in your lungs and trachea
Why do we need cilia?
They catch a load of dust and bacteria before reaching the lungs
Keep the trachea clear by sweeping mucus back towards the mouth
What happens when these cilia are damaged?
Chest infections are more likely
What does tar irritate?
The bronchi and bronchioles, encouraging mucus to be produced which can’t be cleared very well by damaged cilia - smokes cough and chronic bronchitis
What does the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke reduce?
The amount of oxygen the blood can carry
What does an increase in heart rate lead to?
An increase in blood pressure
What do high blood pressures damage?
The artery walls, making the formation of blood clots more likely - increases risk of coronary heart disease
What else does tobacco smoke contain?
Carcinogens - chemical leading to cancer
