The effect of smoking on the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and sensory organs

What is a gastroduodenal ulcer?

A peptic ulcer is a deep ulcer that forms in the lining of the stomach or the first part of the intestine, called the duodenum. This wound occurs due to the aggression of the mucous membrane by the gastric fluid, which is very acidic.

Some cells in the stomach produce gastric juice, which is essential for digestion. When everything is functioning normally, other cells compensate for this acidity, protecting the lining of the stomach and duodenum by secreting mucus and bicarbonate. When the defense system no longer works or acid secretion increases, the balance is disturbed. The mucous membranes are affected by gastric fluid, and inflammation will gradually lead to the formation of ulcers.

Gastric and duodenal ulcers in numbers

• Every year, 90,000 new cases of ulcers are diagnosed during endoscopy of the digestive system;
• 0.2% of the adult population is affected;
• Men suffer more than women (three cases to one);
• 15–30% of gastric ulcers are detected in chronic users of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

In tobacco smoke

Nicotine is a powerful vasoconstrictor. And the liver is one of the most blood-filled human organs. The narrowing of the capillaries
in the liver impairs the exchange between blood and bile vessels, and bile stagnates. As a result, the secretion of bile and the functioning of some other liver functions are disrupted, but stones begin to form in the bile ducts.

Anti-alcohol hotline

You can get information on any issues related to alcohol consumption by calling the Healthy Russia helpline. The hotline operates at 8-800-200-0-200. Calls to it are free from all regions of Russia.

However, this is not the only example of the effects of smoking on the liver.
“Firstly, smoking increases the risk of cancer of any location, and the liver is no exception,” says Drapkina. The risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, which is what is medically called primary liver cancer
, is higher in smokers.
Moreover, the risk of liver cancer recurrence after treatment in smokers doubles. Moreover, primary liver cancer is not the only possible cancer problem of the largest human organ. Much more often,
that has arisen elsewhere metastasizes Smokers are 50 percent more likely to have this happen than non-smokers.

What is the connection between Helicobacter pylori bacteria, ulcers and smoking?

The bacterium Helicobacter pylori is the main cause of stomach and duodenal ulcers. It is resistant to stomach acidity and can infect the gastrointestinal tract. According to the Department of Public Health, 6 to 10% of people infected with these bacteria develop ulcers. It is thought to be responsible for approximately 60 to 80% of gastric ulcers and 80 to 85% of duodenal ulcers. However, smoking increases the risk of contracting these bacteria.

In addition, nicotine and other elements of cigarette smoke appear to suggest a role in increased gastric acid, direct mucosal damage, or decreased mucosal turnover and irrigation. Thus, the effect of smoking disrupts the balance of the gastric mucosa. Smoking significantly increases the development and persistence of ulcers.

Smoking and stomach cancer

According to studies, the risk of developing stomach cancer increases with smoking from 50 to 100% . The increase in this risk will be greater for women and will be proportional to the intensity and duration of smoking. There is a significant reduction in this risk 10 years after weaning. So don't wait any longer, stop now!

Don't be fooled! Facts about hookah

Over the past few years, smoking hookah has become a very fashionable pastime. The number of his fans is growing. Ignoring the warnings of the Ministry of Health, hookah lovers are confident that this smoking device is a completely harmless alternative to cigarettes. What do researchers say about this: is hookah harmful to health or not?

A little history

The main parts of a hookah are a flask for liquid, a bowl for tobacco and a shaft in which smoke is mixed with vapor. A man puts a hose in his mouth and inhales hookah smoke.

According to one version, the device was invented in the 16th century in India and quickly spread throughout the countries of the Middle East. Ancient Hindus used hookah to smoke hashish. The drug had an analgesic effect and improved mood.

For a long time it was believed that a significant part of the hazardous substances when smoking a hookah settles in the water, and therefore cannot cause significant harm to health. But after a comprehensive study of the subject, it was found that hookah is even more harmful than cigarettes.

What did scientists find out?

The journal Aerosol Science and Technology published the work of Californian researchers. They were able to calculate that the content of harmful substances in a sip of tobacco smoke when smoking a hookah and a whole cigarette is the same. Water filters only a small part of nicotine, and people inhale tar, benzopyrene, arsenic, cobalt, chromium, lead and other carcinogens along with aromatic clouds.

In addition, hookah smoking lasts about an hour, during which time the lungs absorb much more smoke than when smoking a cigarette. Experts have calculated that when smoking tobacco using a hookah, a smoker takes approximately 200 puffs in one session, and 20 puffs when smoking one cigarette.

The negative impact of hookah on health is also due to the fact that as a result of smoldering coal, a considerable amount of carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide) is released. The study even mentions cases of poisoning with this gas when smoking a hookah.

In addition to tobacco, experts studied a herbal mixture in which there was no nicotine. But when heated and in its smoke, an impressive accumulation of dangerous toxic substances was discovered.

The consequences of smoking hookah

Is it dangerous to smoke hookah frequently? Without a doubt. According to scientists, the passion for smoking provokes the occurrence of many diseases. Research results confirm this.

Hookah affects the stomach, contributing to the occurrence of ulcers and gastritis. Substances contained in smoke increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer. Among them are cancer of the stomach, lungs, esophagus, oral mucosa, bladder, and pancreas.

Moreover, hookah causes diseases of the cardiovascular system. As scientists write, in just one hookah smoking procedure, the pulse quickens, the pressure rises, and the stiffness of the arteries increases. These symptoms may increase your risk of stroke, heart attack, and some other heart diseases.

Hookah contributes to the spread of infectious diseases. When passing a pipe from one smoker to another, the risk of transmitting the herpes or hepatitis virus increases significantly. And even a disposable mouthpiece does not protect against some dangerous infectious pathogens found in hookahs (for example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Aspergillus fungus).

Hookah addiction can lead to serious health problems. Therefore, you should listen to the warnings of experts and refrain from using it.

How to prevent ulcers?

Whether it is to prevent an ulcer or a recurrence, there are some precautions to take. These include limiting the aggravating factors of peptic ulcer disease:

• Quit smoking;
• Learn to deal with stress, find time to relax;
• Take a varied and balanced diet;
• Avoid very sour or spicy foods;
• Don't drink too much coffee or tea;
• Practice regular physical activity;
• Avoid excessive consumption of aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are said to be gastrotoxic and weaken the natural defense mechanisms of the stomach lining.

How to quit?

This happens differently for everyone. Some people quit immediately and without much pain. For others it is a long and difficult process, they give up cigarettes, then start again, and so on many times.

If you manage to break a bad habit on your own, that’s very good. If your own willpower is not enough, there is no need to be shy, contact a specialist. For example, at the European Clinic an oncologist is always ready to help you. Sometimes a course of psychotherapy or a hypnosis session is enough. You can try nicotine patches, chewing gum, switch to vaping, gradually reduce the strength of liquids, down to “zero”, and finally give up on them. All this helps. Look for support from loved ones, in an interesting hobby, religion, or something else.

Everyone can get rid of nicotine addiction. The potential health benefits are definitely worth the initial discomfort. Smoking is not a person's choice, it is chemicals that make you addicted and gradually destroy your body. You just need to make a decision and not give up.

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Health risks

Since nicotine enters the human body in small doses, addiction develops, and there are no symptoms of acute poisoning1. During his life, a smoker smokes about 15 thousand lethal doses of nicotine. Urine harms almost all organ systems1.

This addiction increases the risk of coronary heart disease and hypertension by 4-6 times, and lung cancer by 101. Smokers are 5-8 times more likely to die from cardiovascular diseases and live on average 8-10 years less than non-smokers people1.

Every year, nicotine kills almost 5.5 million people in the world; on average, one person in the world dies from smoking every 6 seconds3. Smoking harms the health of not only those who smoke, but also those around them. Inhalation of cigarette smoke - passive smoking - annually leads to the death of 600 thousand non-smokers in the world4.

Next, we will look in detail at how smoking affects the body .

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How does smoking affect the oral cavity?

Tobacco consumption causes a range of dental diseases and side effects. The effects of smoking on cavity are as follows:

• change in taste sensitivity;
• dark brown or black "smoker's plaque" on the teeth ;
• bad breath;
• gum diseases (periodontitis);
• leukoplakia of the mucous membrane (inflammation of the keratinization type);
• Oral cancer5 .

This effect of smoking on the oral cavity is due to the following factors:

1. chemical—cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 toxic compounds 5;
2. thermal - due to high temperature (300°C for smoldering tobacco, 900-1000°C at the time of puffing and 40-60°C for tobacco smoke6), the blood supply to the gums is disrupted, which leads to hardening of blood vessels and atrophy of gum tissue5;

Smoking can lead to an unpleasant mouth condition called halitosis. The reasons for this are as follows:

1. nicotine, tar and other products of tobacco combustion that linger in the oral cavity have a specific odor;
2. a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the oral cavity caused by smoking leads to an increase in the number of anaerobic microbes, as well as to the breakdown of proteins;
3. in smokers, the mucous membrane becomes dry - its desquamation increases;
4. Smoking is a risk factor for the development of inflammation in periodontal tissues and the appearance of tartar6.

Smokers have an increased content of pathogenic microbes in cavity that affect periodontal tissue. A feature of the clinical picture of periodontitis is minor external signs of inflammation and at the same time a sharply progressive loss of bone tissue5.

It has also been proven that constant tobacco consumption increases the growth of fungi of the genus Candida, which leads to the development of candidiasis in cavity (identified in 60% of men and women with this bad habit)7.

Oral diseases in smokers have a worse prognosis, including cancer, not only because of the local influence of tobacco, but also because of the effect on the immune system - the content of immunoglobulins IgG and IgA in the blood decreases 6 .

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The effect of smoking on the psyche

Human health also depends on the state of the psyche, which determines the level of intelligence, memory, personality traits, emotional background, and behavior.

One of the powerful factors that destructively affects a person’s mental health is smoking. This is due to the active impact of various substances contained in tobacco smoke on the functioning of the brain and nervous system14.

In the first 10 seconds after inhaling smoke, nicotine penetrates the brain and begins to affect neurons - the working cells of the nervous system14. Nicotine acts as a master key, causing the brain to produce:

1. Norepinephrine (NA) – acts as a stimulant. It determines the level of wakefulness of the brain and is responsible for concentration. NA increases blood pressure, increases heart rate and breathing, which contributes to the working mobilization of the body. This is why people who smoke believe that cigarettes help them concentrate better and improve their performance. However, without nicotine, smokers begin to experience difficulty concentrating.
2. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for emotional stability. With its deficiency, a person becomes irritable, feels a lack of positive emotions, and has problems sleeping. Unexpected and unexplained tears and suicidal thoughts and actions may be associated with serotonin deficiency.
3. Dopamine is commonly called the neurotransmitter of pleasure. This substance is produced at the moment when a person experiences satisfaction from what is happening. Dopamine is also responsible for kind feelings towards other people. With a lack of this neurotransmitter, a person perceives life as joyless and colorless, experiences an inability to love, and does not feel remorse about his own behavior.
4. Gamma-aminobutyric acid is a substance that causes a feeling of calm. A lack of GABA leads to “free-floating anxiety” and panic attacks14.

When people start smoking, they experience a bitter taste in the mouth, a sore throat and cough, dizziness and headache, increased heart rate, and increased sweating. All this is a protective reaction of the body, as well as symptoms of nicotine poisoning. Gradually, the smoker adapts to this substance, the signs of intoxication disappear, and the need for a cigarette develops into a conditioned reflex, prompting the person to further self-poisoning. Each subsequent dose of nicotine, in turn, strengthens the acquired reflex. Thus, a vicious circle is created, the way out of which is to give up the bad habit14.

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