Tobacco, Nicotine, Tar, and any substance that becomes an addiction will always harm you no matter how and at what age you consume it. The particles you take while you breathe have an impact on more than simply your lungs. They have the potential to damage your body organs, especially if you are an older adult. There are no safe substances in cigarettes, from acetone and tar to nicotine and carbon monoxide, every substance is Harmful for elderly people.
Health Effects Of Smoking in Elderly People :
Cigarette smoking has a slew of adverse health consequences. Some of these can be fatal.
The majority of the effects of smoking are:
Diseases like lung cancer, throat cancer, dilution of blood vessels, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, mouth diseases, lung diseases, and severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, are all illnesses caused by smoking.
Smoking significantly raises the chances of severe Tuberculosis, eye infections, and immune system issues, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
According to the research done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking cigarettes increases the chance of death in all ages. Some of the common Effects of Smoking that My Noble Care and its team have observed in the patients are:
1. Lung Damage
Because a person breathes in not only nicotine but also some other harmful substances, smoking cigarettes impacts lungs severely.
Cigarettes have been linked to a significant increase in the risk of lung cancer. The risk is 25 times higher for men, and in women, it is 25.7 times higher.
2. Blindness
If a cigarette is bad for your health, it causes even the tiniest part of your body to take a toll on you. Smoking a cigarette is not even safe for your eyes.
Smoking raises your chances of developing age-related macular degeneration, the primary cause of blindness in people over 65.
Other smoking-related visual disorders include:
- Glaucoma
- Diabetes retinopathy
- Dry and Itchy eyes
3. Type 2 Diabetes in elderly people
According to the CDC, those who smoke daily have a 30–40% higher chance of acquiring type 2 diabetes than those who do not.
Smoking is linked to type 2 diabetes and raises the risk of complications, such as impaired blood flow in the legs and feet. It can cause infection and necessitate the amputation of a limb. Yes, your foot or leg might be amputated!
4. Heart Diseases
Cigarette smoking is harmful to the heart and causes significant damage to blood arteries, veins, and cells. Smoking also raises the risk of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), a condition in which the arteries in the arms and legs narrow and impede blood flow.
Cigarette smoke contains chemicals and tar that can raise a person’s risk of atherosclerosis or plaque accumulation in the blood arteries. This accumulation restricts blood flow and can result in life-threatening clots.
5. Gum Diseases
As if losing a leg wasn’t terrible enough, smoking also puts your teeth in trouble. Periodontitis, a gum infection that damages the bone that supports the teeth, is made worse by smoking. It is one of the most common causes of tooth loss in adults.
6. Colorectal Cancer in elderly people
Colorectal cancer, which develops in the intestines (colon or rectum), is the most common type of cancer. One of the reasons is Cigarette smoking, to be precise. This form of cancer is connected to an increased chance of developing and dying from smoking.
Smoking can put you at risk for the following types of cancers:
- Throat Cancer
- Mouth Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Lungs Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- cervical cancer
Conclusion
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that can create withdrawal symptoms if you stop using it. Constant ravings, an increase in appetite, and irritability are among the common symptoms of smoking. Cravings and other adverse effects usually fade away with time.
A doctor or other healthcare practitioner can assist a person in making reasonable changes to quit smoking. Regardless of your age or duration of smoking, Quitting smoking can dramatically enhance a person’s overall health and well-being. For more detailed insights follow the weekly blogs of My Noble Care and get your consultations only at www.mynoblecare.com.