8.1: Tobacco in the Bloodstream Animation Video
Transcript:
Tobacco in the Bloodstream
The circulatory system includes the heart and blood vessels in the body. This system transports blood and oxygen throughout the body.
Health issues such as heart disease and high blood pressure affect the circulatory system. People who use tobacco products have a higher risk of developing these health issues than people who do not use tobacco products. Tobacco users are also twice as likely as non-tobacco users to die from a heart attack.
When people use any form of tobacco, nicotine enters the bloodstream. Nicotine causes the blood vessels to constrict, or narrow. The heart has to work harder to pump blood through these narrowed blood vessels.
Gradually, nicotine makes it easier for fatty substances to build up in the arteries. Fatty deposits restrict the movement of blood and can disrupt the overall flow of blood throughout the body. This buildup of fatty deposits increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke. These health emergencies occur when an artery becomes completely blocked.
In addition to nicotine, when a person uses tobacco, carcinogens also enter the bloodstream. Carcinogens are agents that can cause cancer.
Once carcinogens are in the bloodstream from tobacco use, blood vessels carry the carcinogens throughout the entire body. This is why smokers have higher rates of cancer than nonsmokers, including mouth, throat, and lung cancer.