Heart Disease and Smoking

We all know the saga surrounding smoking and health issues, the obvious of course being lung cancer and emphysema. But not everyone knows about the other health ailments associated with smoking: heart disease. One of the leading killers of men and women worldwide is heart disease, a problem that if lifestyle permits is quite preventable and treatable. Science Daily said of the smoking and heart disease findings, "The study, which will be presented June 11 at The Endocrine Society's 91st annual meeting in Washington, D.C., found that nicotine in cigarettes promotes insulin resistance, a pre-diabetic condition that raises blood sugar levels higher than normal. People with pre-diabetes are at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that smokers who are pre-diabetic have blood glucose levels higher than normal, but not high enough for diabetes, a known risk factor for heart disease." The same researchers who will be presenting the findings this week believe that in the near future a drug will be made to reduce or eliminate the dangers of nicotine. Until then of course high risk heart disease patients like smokers, the obese, diabetics and those with family history should consider getting scans regularly to prevent and detect any early signs of cardiovascular disease.