Major Causes of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) – A major cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is excessive tobacco consumption. Tobacco use is a major social and public health problem worldwide. Coronary artery disease (CAD) has been observed in nearly 80% of smokers. Inhaling nicotine, carbon monoxide, and other pollutants narrows the coronary arteries, damages blood vessel walls, and reduces blood flow to the heart muscles.

Some Behavioural Cardiovascular Risk Factors:

• Smoking
• Smokeless forms of tobacco intake
• Sedentary lifestyle habits
• Unhealthy dietary habits
• Alcohol consumption

Cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption share similar and possibly additive effects on certain forms of cardiovascular disease.

Forms of Tobacco Use

There are mainly two forms of tobacco use:

• Smokeless forms such as khaini, gutkha, paan masala, and Zarda.
• Smoking forms, primarily cigarettes, bidis, and hookahs.

 

Tobacco Use Among Youth: =

Tobacco use is a significant public health issue among Indian youth (15–24 years), with a prevalence of approximately 12%. About 8–8.4% of school-going children (13–15 years) use tobacco [6]. Approximately 11.4% of youth report smoking cigarettes before the age of 7 years, and 17.2% start by smoking bidis in India [3].

Nicotine, which is present in tobacco, increases heart rate and blood pressure and is associated with various heart conditions. Tobacco consumption can cause atherosclerosis at a very young age.

Advice: The best advice for young people is to avoid or quit smoking before the development of any heart condition.

Tobacco Use Among Women:=

Nowadays, women are increasingly using tobacco in both smokeless and smoking forms, often as a daily habit or addiction. Approximately 14–14.5% of women in India use tobacco, which significantly increases the risk of heart disease[4]. Around 12.8% of Indian women use smokeless tobacco (SLT) products such as khaini and gutkha. Nearly 17% of women in India start using smokeless tobacco or smoking before the age of 15, especially in corporate settings.

Advice: There is an urgent need for gender-specific rules and policies that address the unique factors influencing tobacco use among women.

Tobacco Use Among Indian Males:= Globally, males use tobacco more than females. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), men represent the vast majority of tobacco users. Although smoking prevalence is declining for both sexes, men are not expected to meet cessation goals until 2031, trailing behind women.

Tobacco use causes cardiovascular disease and deserves special attention in CVD prevention strategies.

Advice: There is a significant reduction in CVD risk among individuals who quit smoking after a myocardial infarction compared to those who continue to smoke.

❖ How Tobacco Harms the Heart ?

Smoking reduces the oxygen supply to the heart and increases the risk of peripheral artery disease and stroke [1]. Tobacco use, including cigarettes and bidis, causes approximately 1.35 million deaths annually in India. India is the second-largest consumer and producer of tobacco globally.

Tobacco is a leading cause of preventable death and disease, resulting in over 2,200 deaths daily in India. Approximately 14% of adults in India (roughly 100–130 million people)[5] use tobacco in either smoked or smokeless form, including 42.4% of men and 14.2% of women.[2]

SUMMARY

People must quite Smoking Tobacco and Smokeless Tobacco which reduces cardiovascular disease (CVD) like blood pressure, inflammation and risk of heart attacks and strokes. Quitting tobacco normalizes heart rate and blood pressure level. Stopping tobacco use lead to rapid health improvements like – within weeks lung function and blood circulation improve and within year , risk of heart disease decreases significantly, also Improvement of oral health , financial savings , better taste and smell of food as well as better quality of life. Nicotine Replacement Therapy (patch, gum, lozenge) help to reduce tobacco intake in daily life.

DR. SUNDAN SIKDAR – MD,DM (GB Pant, Delhi)

References :=

1. Smoking and Heart Health : Dangers You Should Know https://asianheartinstitute.org/blog/smoking-and-heart-health-risks/ .
2. Tobacco use among Indian states : key findings from the latest demographic health survey 2019-2020 https://www.tobaccopreventioncessation.com/Tobacco-use-among-Indian-states-Key-findings-from-the-latest-demographic-health-survey,132466,0,2.html .
3. The tobacco industry is targeting the youth https://www.who.int/india/news-room/feature-stories/detail/the-tobacco-industry-is-targeting-the-youth
4. White paper on smokeless tobacco & women’s health in India  https://ijmr.org.in/white-paper-on-smokeless-tobacco-womens-health-in-india/ .
5. Tobacco https://www.who.int/india/health-topics/tobacco#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Global%20Adult%20Tobacco%20Survey,INR%20177%20341%20crore%20(USD%2027.5%20billion).
6. Report on Tobacco Control in India https://ntcp.mohfw.gov.in/assets/document/surveys-reports-publications/Report%20on%20Tobacco%20Control%20in%20India%202022_22%20April%202024.pdf .