Hyderabad: Tobacco also affects the blood circulatory system. Twelve per cent of deaths are from heart diseases and second hand smoke, stated the Cardiology Society of India on the eve of World No Tobacco Day.
In both the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh mortality due to heart diseases is 15 to 17 per cent according to Registrar General of India.
While tobacco is linked to a wide spectrum of diseases like lung diseases, diabetes, arthritis, and oral cancer, heart diseases are also caused by excessive smoking.
The National Family Health Survey in India states that 45 per cent of men and 7 per cent of women in the age group of 15 to 49 years are tobacco users.
Dr Sai Ravi Shanker, general secretary of the Cardiology Society of India, Telangana state explained, “Tobacco induces heart disease and this is often not understood by people.
The growing perception is that tobacco causes lung diseases and cancer. But it also has a major impact on the lining of the arteries, increases blood pressure and heart rate. Cardiovascular disease account for 31 per cent of deaths caused due to tobacco worldwide.”
It is found that 120 million Indian adults smoke placing India second in the number of smokers.
Says Dr P.R. Sodani, senior cardiologist, “Carbon monoxide present in smoke lowers the amount of oxygen in the blood making the heart pump harder to maintain the oxygen levels. Tobacco is found to be a cause to make the blood clot faster increasing the pressure on the heart.”
According to Indian Council of Medical Research, in both the Telugu states 35 per cent of adults use tobacco and of them 45 per cent are males and 16 per cent are females.
Dr Gowri Kulkarni, senior general physician explained, “The habit of smoking has increased in young women. This leads to long-term health complications as it steals the vitamins and minerals from the body. They have early signs of loss of sense of smell and taste and most of them are not able to understand that their nervous system is affected.”
Seventy-per cent of deaths caused due to tobacco are in the age-group of 30 to 69 years.
