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Disadvantage Of Smoking Cigarettes?

Posted on Thu, 9 May 2013

Question: Why can't I smoke cigarettes?

Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (1 hour later)

Hi friend,
Welcome to Health Care Magic

Why should you?

It is an avoidable risk factor
It hurts every system - cancer and heart attack to infertility and impotence...
It is addictive
It is now called 'smoking disease'

Take care
Wishing speedy recovery
God bless
Good luck

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (7 minutes later)

That's not what I meant exactly. I used to smoke for years but about a year ago I started to notice something different. When I would smoke, my heart would beat faster than usual and I would start to feel light headed. It got to the point where I couldn't smoke anymore. So I haven't smoke in awhile but every now and then I would once. I tried smoking lights but it changed nothing. It has become extremely difficult for me to do without. What do you think is the reason for this?

Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (12 minutes later)

Smoking is the commonest cause of fast or irregular heart beats...smoker’s heart rate is 25 % more than normal / It also increases the Blood pressure / It cuts down the Oxygen...
De-addiction centres help / Psychiatrists are specially trained in this...
Social and family support help

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (23 minutes later)

Ok, well I have a psychiatrists and the only thing he's said is to visit a doctor. Well my brother has the same problem and he went to a doctor. The doctor told him that he has to have an EKG. I do not need a de addiction centre. I know all of the things that a cigarette does to you which is why I told you before that it is something different. My heart has been beating quicker than before when I would smoke. I would also feel light headed and I have not felt that way smoking years ago. I do not know why this is happening.

Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (1 hour later)

- With continued use, tolerance develops / with stopping tolerance disappears and the reaction may be exaggerated...
- Some amount of irreversible damage could have already occurred from previous smoking, contributing to the exaggerated reaction...
- You might have developed allergy (hypersensitivity) to one of the chemicals in the cigarette – there are hundreds of them
- Being young, you may have undiagnosed silent congenital heart disease, which is made worse by smoking..
- There could be an incidental cause - there are several of them for fast heart rate...
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Fast heart beats need to be DOCUMENTED by ElectroCardioGram (EKG).
Anaemia / Anxiety / Alcohol / Caffeine (too much coffee, cola) / Medicines like Phenylephrine used for ‘cold’; Salbutamol used for asthma / Thyroid so on - may be contributing... / At times, abnormal nerve paths in the heart (bypass tracts) are responsible!

A thorough history and physical examination is the first step -
ECG (Electrocardiogram / EKG) – Routine 12-lead – is part of clinical examination.
HOLTER (24 to 48 hour ambulatory monitoring) is done to analyse and plan for further management, if a routine ECG does not show.
ECHOcardiogram is necessary to see the heart valves (Mitral Valve Prolapse) / heart muscle (Cardiomyopathy) and heart function (Ejection fraction, wall motion abnormality) / clots...
TMT (Treadmill exercise ECG) is done to exclude Ischemia (reduced blood flow).
LABORATORY work-up is routine - like blood counts, sugar, urea, electrolytes (potassium in particular), thyroid (over-active) and so on. Your Internist shall suggest based on the situation.
If there are no clues and if the problem is still bothering to the extent of interfering with life style,Electro Physiological Studies (EPS) may be necessary (standard, but INVASIVE)
The treating doctor may suggest them depending on need, based on his assessment of the situation.
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So is the light headedness... The body's balancing mechanism is in the inner ear. An ENT (Ear Nose Throat) specialist is the one to see. They have special tests to confirm or exclude the contribution of the ear.
If there are no clues, you have to be followed up by a neurologist. / Congenital vascular anomalies, previous sensitisation and hypersensitivity and so on / MRI of the brain and MRA may be needed for further evaluation and to exclude underlying mechanisms...

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (10 minutes later)

So to put it in simple terms, I should have some tests done in which includes an EKG and to see an ent? I would have dont that already as well as my brother but we just don't have that kind of money.

Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (32 minutes later)

Appropriate treatment demands definite diagnosis.
Definite diagnosis demands investigations.
The alternative is for symptomatic treatment.... Beta-blockers help rate / Betaserc helps light headedness / Of course, smoking should be forgotten...

Note: In case of any other concern or query related to prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or the recovery of persons with the any type of addiction or substance use, follow up with our Addiction Medicine Specialist. Click here to book a consultation now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar