Can smoking cause congestive heart failure?
On One Hand: Smoking Increases the Risk of Heart FailureCongestive heart failure is a condition in which the heart is unable to pump a normal amount of blood to other organs; the excess blood backs up in the lungs or other organs. Smoking narrows blood vessels and increases blood pressure, both of which can lead to congestive heart failure. People who smoke a pack of cigarettes per day more than double their risk of coronary disease, according to the American Heart Association.On the Other: Quitting Smoking Benefits Heart HealthAccording to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2001, people who quit smoking had a significantly lower risk of heart disease. In fact, there was no significant difference in the number of heart-related deaths and hospitalizations between former smokers and those who never smoked. The positive effects of quitting came into play within two years of kicking the habit.Bottom LineSmoking greatly increases the risk of congestive
