Smoking, Vaping and Alcohol
Both cigarettes and alcohol are legal drugs that are readily available, dependent on age, and can become addictive and harmful. Because they are legal drugs there is lots known about the side effects and impact they can have on an individual.
What does smoking do to a healthy heart and circulatory system?
The following text has been used from here.
Smoking is very harmful to your heart. It seriously increases your risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases.
To keep your heart healthy, you can make small lifestyle changes to help you quit smoking.
The chemicals in cigarettes make the walls of your arteries sticky. This causes fatty material to stick to the walls. The fatty material can begin to clog your arteries and reduce the space for blood to flow properly.
- If the arteries that carry blood to your heart get clogged, it can lead to a heart attack
- If the arteries that carry blood to your brain get clogged, it can lead to a stroke
Smoking can also affect your heart and blood vessels by:
- increasing your risk of blood clots
- causing an instant rise to your heart rate
- causing an instant rise to your blood pressure
- reducing the amount of oxygen delivered to the rest of your body
If you already have a heart condition such as CHD, the impact of smoking could be quite severe and should be avoided to minimise the further risk of acquired heart disease in later life.
Want help to quit smoking? click here or speak to your clinical team.
Vaping
Vapes or e-cigarettes have risen hugely in popularity. There is evidence that vaping can help cigarette smokers quit their smoking habit but, and it is a big but, recent studies suggest vaping can be harmful to the lungs and more research needs to be done about the impact of vapes on the respiratory system.
Alcohol
Yes, Alcohol is a legal drug which most people can safely drink in moderation!
Did you know that the recommended weekly/maximum units for everyone is 14?
Did you also know that consuming more than 5 units in a row counts as a binge?
To put that into a real example, if you enjoy the odd cider now and again, a 440ml can of 4.5% cider comes in at 2 units, per can. That means that if you open a third can, in one session, you are now binge drinking!
If you are on blood thinners, you need to be a bit more careful, because your blood is thinner alcohol may have more of an effect on you and your heart. It is best to speak to your medical team for advice.
Be mindful of the volume of alcohol that is consumed if you are on a fluid restriction as a treatment for heart failure.
Links
British Heart Foundation – Is vaping safe?
Cancer Research UK – Is vaping harmful?
Ash – resources on youth vaping
Explore Youth at Heart
Youth at Heart are a charity committed to young people aged 13-24, and their families, who are living with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) in South West England and South Wales.
We empower, inform and support them to live their best life.
For young people
We are committed to supporting you as you start your Transition Journey aged 13 and leading up to your Transfer from Paediatrics to Adult Services and beyond, until your 25th birthday.
For the whole family
Youth at Heart recognise that congenital heart disease affects the whole family, which is why our Youth Workers are there for families too.
For professionals
Youth at Heart is a charity independent from the NHS that works in partnership with health professionals across the South Wales & South West Congenital Heart Disease Network.
Get involved
Youth at Heart rely on funds being raised through donations, grants, events and activities and for people to get involved to help us carry on our important work.