Officials from HMCs Tobacco Control Center Warns About the Link Between Smoking and Heart Disease

Doha, September 28 (QNA) - In recognition of World Heart Day, which is marked annually on 29 September, officials at Hamad Medical Corporations (HMC) Tobacco Control Center are warning about the link between smoking and heart disease and urging smokers to take advantage of smoking session services. Almost two million people around the world dies from tobacco-related heart disease each year. In addition to heart disease and high blood pressure, smokers are thought to be at risk for more severe COVID-19 illness due to the impact the virus has on the lungs, According to the World Health Organization (WHO). "Research has shown that smoking increases heart rate, tightens major arteries, and can cause an irregular heart rhythm, all of which require the heart of a smoker to work harder than the heart of a non- smoker. In addition to damaging your heart and blood vessels, cigarette smoke can change ones blood chemistry and cause plaque a waxy substance comprised of cholesterol, scar tissue, calcium, fat, and other material to build up in the arteries," Head of HMC's Tobacco Control Center Dr. Ahmad Al Mulla said. "Smoking tobacco also increases carbon monoxide content in the blood and having high levels of carbon monoxide in your blood greatly increases ones risk of heart and circulatory diseases. Smokers, including those under the age of 50 years, are at an increased risk for angina pectoris and myocardial infarction," added Dr. Al Mulla. Smoking Cessation Specialist at HMC's Tobacco Control Center Dr. Jamal Abdullah said the good news is that those who quit smoking early can reverse much of the damage caused by the dangerous habit. He added that quitting has immediate and long-term health benefits, with heart rate and blood pressure dropping within 20 minutes and the carbon monoxide level in ones blood dropping to normal within 12 hours. It is disheartening to see the high number of individuals between the ages of thirty and fifty who develop heart disease due to the use of tobacco products, including cigarettes, hookah, chewing tobacco, and electronic cigarettes. He says individuals who seek support at HMCs Tobacco Control Center receive one-on-one behavioral counseling and appropriate nicotine replacement or pharmaceutical support, depending on their level of addiction. He says laser therapy treatment can also be helpful, Dr. Abdullah added. Hamad Medical Corporations (HMC) Tobacco Control Center provides all drug treatments, behavioral therapy and laser therapy to help smokers quit smoking and prevent chronic diseases. (QNA)